


The reluctant hero

by satu_cos (turva_auto)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Age Difference, Alive Carla Yeager, Alive Grisha Yeager, Alpha Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Hockey, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Tragedy, Anxiety, Asshole Grisha Yeager, Doctor!Hanji, Doctor!Petra, Dom/sub Undertones, Drama, Elliot Kenny Ackermann - Freeform, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Extremly slow build just saying!, French-Speaking Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Grisha Yeager's Bad Parenting, Hate to Love, Heavy Angst, Insecurity, Jäger spelled as Yeager, Levi/Eren Yeager-centric, M/M, Mates, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Medical Inaccuracies, Mental Instability, Mentions of miscarriage, Mpreg, Mutual Pining, Omega Eren Yeager, Possessive Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Scents & Smells, Slow Build, SnK goes Hockey, midwife! Krista Reiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-05-19 20:31:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 153,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14880725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turva_auto/pseuds/satu_cos
Summary: Omega's have a tough life as it is but Eren needs to take the fucking cake! He finds himself presenting his dynamic, foul mouthed and stubborn, thrown out of home, abandoned, get's knocked up, finds support, falls in love and fights for his life.While Levi tries to be a good alpha, goes head to head with authorities, captains an NHL team, freaks out and realizes that team bonding has no limits as well as families come in different shades of grey... almost in that order.or what even is Eren's life when he meets Levi and what was it to begin with.





	1. synopsis - prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Well this work was not beta read so all occurring mistakes are my own, I beg for pardon. This is a re-work of one of my works and I will update the additional tags as the story progresses. I aim to update maybe once a week or at least every 2nd week, but don't hold me to it.

**Transformation** [noun]

 

**Definition:**

a thorough or dramatic change process in genetic material

 

 

Throughout history the gender roles have always been attached to images of behavior and presented a dynamic of power exchange that went unnamed for the longest time.

Attributes as the dominant sex, the provider, strong, forceful, leading were associated with people that later had become the alpha personality and therefore got called alphas.

While words like, housewife, the caretaker, emotional and submitting were associated with people that later had been described as the omega personality and therefore got called omegas.

Slowly the economy shifted and adapted to the progress of society and the general value of dynamics until it influenced the life in its total.

Beta's became a rare form, able to adjust to the needs of the alphas and omegas around them. They were able to bond with both dynamics, while staying neutral most of times and soon found themselves in a position of equality leading personal, to prevent arguments between alpha's from spiraling out of control. Beta's often were called a voice of reason, therefore providing a sense of normality.

The shift also affected the reproducing population, since most alpha's prefered bonding to a submissive omega. Your dynamic was the norm of election not your gender and therefore women placed themselves into positions of importance without any resentment and put off having families until later in life, some foregoing having children at all. They remained able to reproduce if they wanted to but the population kept decreasing due to dynamic side effects.

The scientist soon were facing a switch in DNA, as male omegas started showing signs of increased fertility and some even experiencing the first effects of pregnancy. And as time passed it became clear that genetic change was not without consequences. While the first pregnant male omegas had to face miscarriages and only 10% of the pregnancies could be carried to turn, nature and science intertwined to investigate, discovering the G-Gene.

This lead to medications to suppress the carrier gene which surrendered an impassive attribute and effected the next offspring of omegas as well as every kit born by them afterwards.

Male omegas turned into carriers, experiencing heats as any other omega that were caused by a mix of hormones in their system and partly resembled the former female menstruation cycle. While alphas found themselves facing the contra part known as rut, with the deep desire to bond to their respected omegas and get them to carry their offspring.

Not only the DNA pool changed but also the physical appearance, leading to different scents for different dynamics and other modifications.

But every transformation formed the entirety of civilization as it is now known to every human.


	2. Not my son

Eren Yeager was born on 30th March 1988 to his dad Grisha Yeager, an old traditional alpha, and his mom Carla Yeager a beta who knew from the start, that he would be special, her first boy.

No one knew just how special indeed, until Eren had hit puberty and presented his dynamic.

Both his parents, who held prominent roles in society never doubted that Eren would follow their lead. Eren soon stepped up to fulfill their expectations as his sister Faye and younger brother Zeke were born a few years later. Managing to be the big perfect brother, while his parents supported his hockey career as best as they could.

„You will make it to the NHL Eren. You will show them all what a true alpha is made off.“ His dad would encourage him, when Eren doubted his own potential.

„You're just a kid dear, it's okay to be scared of the new possibilities.“ His mom would soothe him in Juniors.

And then, Eren's dynamic hit, turning his life upside down.

The day he presented, he was just past the delicate age of 13 years.

Much on the early side of things, but then Eren was premature with everything. Started walking with only 10 months of age, spoke when others could only communicate with gurgling sounds and angry screaming, as loud as a fire alarm. He put on his first skates when he was just past 2 years old and had gained enough balance to not trip into the sharp blades and fired the first puck when others were still having potty training.

Indeed, he was a fast learner and always upped his game trying to be the best in everything he did. He got upset when kids started to call him tiny and too short to play good hockey, which only resulted in Eren training harder, forcing himself past what his tiny body could take. One day he would be as tall as his dad, that’s what he kept telling himself.

He broke his leg when he was five and cried so much, as if the world would have ended. He thought he would never play hockey ever again.

But he survived and came out harder and better than before. Injuries weren't scaring him any longer, they were part of the game. He played street hockey in summer and put on the blades in winter, the stick never leaving his hands. He played with the puck and fell asleep with it in bed every night.

When Faye came around he occasionally was forced to play with dolls, always being the good alpha daddy and just about doing everything the way his parents expected him to do. Made time for her and his baby brother, entertain them, even if Zeke was acting like a little shithat, be good in school, but as soon as there was none of these things it was just Eren and Hockey.

Determination.

Will.

Force.

Focus.

Two days before everything went to shit, he heard his dad tell about how some bigger team had requested Eren for a tryout.

A try out that would never take place, because Eren woke up sweating and feeling overheated and nauseous. His tongue kind of swollen and stuck to the roof of his mouth as he called out for his mom.

Carla stumbled up the stairs in a hurry as she heard Eren's plea and to say she was shocked would have been the underestimation of the century.

„Mom.“ Eren whined, tears swimming in his big green eyes.

„Oh baby, it's okay. It will be okay, let's get you into clean clothes and to the doctor.“ she said, knowing fully well what Eren was going through.

The time had come for his body to go into transformation and the hormones flooding his system were confusing to her son, who knew the hierarchical system of society by heart but not what they entitled.

The actual alpha and omega classes in school were not on his schedule yet and most teens usually presented around the age of 15, with 16 the latest. So again Eren once again was premature and faster than the rest.

Carla carried him into the bathroom to wash him down with a wet cloth, before putting him into his favourite Pjs and bundling him up into the back of the family car. His dad unearthed from his lab long enough to buckle him in and kissed the top of his head with a proud gleam in his eyes, handing his mom the insurance card and legal papers. Waiting for them to return with the red stamp mark of an “A” that would confirm his son's status as an alpha.

„You're going to be such a good alpha, Eren.“ he murmured before closing the door and taking care of his younger sister and brother, while Carla took him to the doctor's office in downtown Buffalo.

„Mommy am I going to play hockey again?“ Eren wailed in the backseat, terrified, since he had no idea what was happening to him.

What if something bad was happening to him? What if he caught that stupid virus his sister Faye have had a few weeks ago?

He had only kissed her goodnight and his mom had said it was safe. But what if not and he would come down with it too now?

The colours around him seemed to be brighter, the noises louder than usual, making his head hurt and he felt so hot as if in the middle of sporting a badass fever - burning from the inside out. His stomach was twisting and turning like he drove on his favourite roller coaster ride in the amusement park one too many times.

„You will sweety. You'll play the most amazing hockey, just hang in there.“ she soothed in a low voice, aware how any more volume made him flinch and eyeing him every few seconds through the rearview mirror.

Eren was curled up, with his forehead pressed against the cooling glass of the window beside him, his arms crossed, holding himself as he shivered. Sweat dampening his soft brown hair and pressing it to his forehead, making the ends of his fringe curl a bit. Carla couldn't help but smile, little did she know that her smile would drop within an hour time.

  


Eren wasn't paying much attention as Carla sat down with him in the waiting room, the day felt special to her, even though Eren was nowhere near conscious enough to understand the change. She tried explaining it to him a few times, but he just tucked his face closer in the crook of her neck, letting himself be hold, despite how hot he felt.

A few parents were eyeing them, but no one said a word. Some pulling grimaces at the scent Eren sent off. As a beta Carla had no chance to figure out the switch in scent and put down Eren’s clinginess to him being afraid. The nurse and pediatrician were both beta's too, as it was common nowadays and Eren just cried silently as his blood sample was taken.

He'd never been a big fan of hospitals and doctors visit to begin with, despite his father being a well known name in the medical research field. Carla couldn't even be mad at him for behaving like a kid. He was still her little boy, transformation or not.

„You're such a brave boy.“ Carla whispered, patting her sons soft hair.

„Wanna go home.“ Eren whispered in exhaustion, rubbing his eyes before clamping his hands over his ears again, to block out the loud noise of the people and other kids surrounding them, while they waited for his test results to return.

“We will babe, just hold on tight my dear. I’ll get you hot chocolate once we are back home and then you can lie down and fall asleep. I’m sure the doc knows how to get you through it. I promise it won’t last forever.” Carla said, rubbing his back in slow circles and wiping the sweat from his forehead with a hanky.

Eren mumbled in reply but she couldn’t make out the words, since the nurse called them into the doctor's office again.

“Miss Yeager, we got Eren’s test results.” The elderly lady said, twisting a grey curl around her index finger as she paused. Carla nodded in encouragement for her to keep going.

“His symptoms are indeed caused by transformation. Eren’s dynamic is starting to present as you already suspected. The fever should be gone by 3 days the latest, if you get him the prescribed meds to settle the side effects.” She shoved some papers over her desk, already filled out.

“As per law the government will cover the costs of his prescription for now. It will be settled with your health insurance agency, so it’s nothing for you to worry about.” The pediatrician went on.

“Okay.” his mother replied steadily, waiting for the confirmation of Eren's status.

“According to the blood samples Eren is now officially registered as an Omega.” The pediatrician handed over Eren’s legal documents, which now were having the government's mark of an “O” on it, labeling him as an Omega for the rest of his life and for everyone to see.

“WHAT!” Carla exclaimed, her eyes as big as saucers and her shriek unsettling the already half asleep Eren in her arms.

“This can’t be true! You must have tampered with his samples! Eren is not an omega! No one in our family is! I myself am a beta and his dad is an alpha and so is his grand dad.” Carla replied, her voice heated.

“I’m sorry Miss Yeager but the results were not tampered with and Eren is indeed an omega. Just look how distressed he already is from your yelling in my office without any offence.” the doctor pointed out.

Carla gaped at her.

“He can’t!” she insisted.

“He is. But if you are concerned about it affecting his hockey, we can put him on suppressants to help him settle and avoid unscheduled heats.” the doctor offered, clicking on her computer.

“I would welcome that, but be sure I will get a second opinion on that!” Carla spat angrily, taking the recipe and slamming the door, as she left with Eren, who got more upset and unsteady on his feet on the way to their parked car.

“Mom, can we go home now?” Eren begged after snuggling up pitifully in the backset yet again, chewing on the fabric of his shirt sleeve and biting his lips.

“We will Eren, just one more doc and we’ll get your prescriptions and you can sleep.”  Carla said tearfully as she turned the car in the opposite direction to go to the hospital.

That doctor sure must have been wrong and she should have taken her son to the hospital straight away, rather than wasting their time in this dumbass office.

Eren could barely keep himself upright, sipping at a water bottle as Carla entered the ER with him, making sure to tell the receptionist exactly how urgent they needed to be seen by the doc, as if Eren’s entire look wasn’t enough of confirmation right away.

She settled them in an examination room, the nurse taking yet more blood samples to run tests on, before the doc would come to see them.

Carla pulled out her phone while they waited, Eren napping on her shoulder, shaking slightly even in his sleep.

She texted her husband, stalling the news for now, since she didn’t believe them in the first place. She was still furious, how could they ruin such a simple test?

The doctor introduced himself 20 minutes later to confirm Carrla’s biggest nightmare and sent them home after giving Eren an injection of his first hormones, to stall the progress of his first heat, that was upsetting him so much.

Her son was an omega.

Eren was an omega.

Was this even her kid?

The red “O” on his papers glaring back at her, from where she had thrown it on the passenger seat into a messy pile, along with the picked up medication.

She had tears in her eyes on the way back home, while Eren slept through most of it, even through Carla carrying him up the stairs and tugging him into bed, before leaving the room after settling more bottles of water on his bedside cabinet along with some folded towels.

How was she supposed to explain this to Grisha, there was no omega in her line and she never dated anyone except him, so why did Eren turn out an omega?

What if his sister and brother would be omegas as well? She sighed leaving sleeping Eren behind as she went down into the kitchen, thinking about how to explain this to Eren, who was confused and had no idea what was happening to him? Would she even find it in her to explain it at all?

Omega’s were the lowest in their system and just invited trouble, called for it. The status of her family would be in question.

As she put the kettle on Grisha entered through the back door, her sons younger siblings in tow screaming happily. Faye recognized the shift in situation, even though she hadn’t presented yet with only 12 years of age, while Zeke, only 10 years old himself, didn’t notice anything and kept arguing with her about who was supposed to play with the blue hot wheels car first.

“Mom?” she asked, concern pure and clear in her voice, but she had no chance for an answer as her dad ordered her to take her brother to their play room, while he and Carla needed to talk about “adult stuff” as he put it.

As soon as the kids were out of the way, Grisha Yeager was growling low in his throat, having scented the omega hormones wavering through the house.

“Tell me we have a guest.” he barked, trying to find a reasonable excuse for the smell of omega filling his nostrils. Carla shook her head, shoulders slumping facing the anger of her alpha.

“I don’t know Grisha, I really don’t know how this happened.” she started to apologize, showing him the documents scattered on the kitchen island.

The red “O” almost glowing angrily back at them in the overhead light.

“My son is not a fucking omega! My only son is not a fucking useless slut!” Grisha bellowed, hitting his fist on the counter. He ruffled through the documents, checking the testing locations, signatures - everything got a once over. But even he couldn’t argue with the facts laid out to him and his nose to prove the case settled.

Eren was officially listed as an omega by the government of the United States of America.

After all the time, money and work he had put into his Hockey career, he was now left with a useless housewife of a son, only good enough to breed kids and mop the floor. If he would make it into any locker room ever again, then just as a piece of meat to pass around, to be fucked by every alpha, who needed to pass off steam, to purr during intermissions to soothe the guys who did all the hard work.

He couldn’t turn the tables, the scent of an omega in the middle of heat was way too prominent around him.

“Where is he?” Grisha demanded.

“Upstairs in his room. The doc gave him suppressants to starve off the heat, so he will suffer through it without it actually breaking out fully.” Carla replied helplessly.

“I’m not going to accept an omega living under my roof, sticking his feet under my fucking table! And I don’t even fucking care, if he actually rides the wave of heat or his body is just stinking like an omega all over the place for fun!” Grisha Yeager raged, his voice full of alpha power and steel, adjusting the silver frame of his glasses as a final gesture to cut off any discussion of the matter.

“But he’s our son! His dynamic is not his fault.” Carla pleaded. It wouldn’t be the first time that a kid was outsourced from it’s family, due to their dynamic and she always had believed, this would never happen to her family.

“I don’t have a son! I don’t own a pathetic piece of omega! Not in my house!”

“But Grisha.” His fist hit the counter a second time, breaking her off mid sentence.

“No! I will call off the tryout and I will find someone who has a use for him, Carla.”

“He’s only 13teen! You can’t….you can’t bond him to an unknown alpha just to get rid of him. He doesn’t even understand what bonding with a mate means yet.” she argued.

“Do I look like I would burden him on a mate? I might not be the dad of this omega, there is no way in hell this is my son! But I’m not so inhuman to bond him to any available alpha, Carla. Despite that, who would even have a use for him at this age other then to rest his legs on his back. Eren will leave this house after his heat is broken and he will never ever return. Did I make myself clear!” Grisha demanded pointing his index finger at her.

She burst into tears but allowed her alpha to hold her.

Eren’s future decided with one clear statement that broke no argument, while he wasn’t even aware of his surroundings.

“How are you going to explain this to Faye and Zeke?” Carla whispered into his neck.

“We will talk about this if it is time. I have calls to make my dear.” he replied, taking the telephone and started dialing. Carla grabbed herself some tissues and tried her best to dry her eyes. There was no arguing with her alpha if he had set his mind. No power in the world could turn him around.

Faye poked her head out of the playroom, where she was watching her brother as she heard footsteps on the stairs and saw her mum coming up, with a keyring in her hand.

“Mom? Have you cried? Did dad make you sad?” she asked, pressing her small hands on her mother's face.

“Nah sweetie, it’s alright. Mommy got a little overwhelmed.” she soothed, ruffling her brown long hair, that ran past her shoulders already.

“And why do you have the keyring out? Was Eren bad?”

“No, Eren wasn’t, he just wanted to be alone.” Carla lied as she took some clean towels out of the hallway closet and unlocked the door to Eren’s room.  “Please, go back to your brother, before he destroys something again, you know what Zeke is like, Faye.”

Eren stirred and blinked at his mother, as she entered, keeping his sister from coming into the room as well.

“Mom?” Eren whispered, his voice all rough and wrecked.

“Eren it’s okay, drink up, take your pills and it will be gone. It’s like a big fever.” She lied, couldn’t bring herself to explain to him what he was going through. What it entitled, what he was actually losing right now without knowing. He would never grow much more past his current height, he would never get as strong as all his teammates, he might not even play hockey anymore, or at least never make it past a rec league.

“Where’s dad?” Eren slurred, rubbing his eyes after he had dutifully swallowed his meds. Carla flinched, turning her face away.

“You’ll understand when you get older Eren.” she said, helping him into the shower and into clean PJ’s, before settling him in again, avoiding to answer.

“I’m still all itchy and wet.” Eren complained, feeling embarrassed.

“That’s because the drugs are working. It would be a lot worse without them my dear.” Carla said, while she tugged his suitcase from under the bed.

“Are we going some place?” Eren asked drowsily, still squirming under the soft comforter.

“Yeah, you are… you are going to go away for a while afterwards. Just to play better hockey.” Carla lied as tears stung her eyes. She busied herself with going through Eren’s drawers and folding his clothes into the suitcase while he drifted off to an uneasy sleep


	3. Nobody’s home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's not Sunday 2 weeks later, but I'm currently working on Chapter 5 so I let you have it. Writing Levi is a challenge. So don't be disappointed he's coming up soon.

Eren didn’t remember the days following afterwards, if asked about it later, all he would answer in brief interviews was the same people could read on Wikipedia just as easily with a quick Google search.

He went to live with a billet family in Michigan, the family of former NHL player Mike Zacharias and lit up the Junior league for the USA Titans, earning him the MVP title, before moving on to the Sina AAA hockey club in Detroit.

Hockey was still with Eren and his smile on the ice never faltered. But behind closed doors nothing could make him smile anymore.

He kept taking his suppressants, attended the necessary omega classes, did his homework but other than that Eren barely spoke to the Zacharias.

Even though he used to play video games with their kids at first, he couldn’t keep up the happy facade after leaving the rink. It was too much to ask, when all he saw, when gazing up at the clouds in the sky, was a gray soup of numbness, no matter how bright the sun was shining.

He hated the omega classes, the way he was taught how to kneel for an alpha, the weight of a collar around his neck almost suffocating him and leaving him bare and vulnerable to his very core.

The classes about how to speak in a specific way to appeal to his alpha, about body language and manners around larger groups of alpha’s and how you were supposed to behave when mated.

When and how you were supposed to purr and what it took to purr in general. Everyone did great at that, everyone except him. Eren simply couldn’t force it. No tune even close to a purr left his lips or throat. He couldn’t even growl. He just sat through it all muted.

The top of the shit list were specially the classes about biology, since they pointed out everything from anatomy of yourself and your alpha, to how your body changes with hormones or kid, what mating and heat and ruts meant and what he was supposed to do when it happened. The size of an average knot and the thought of having this thing stuck inside his ass for approximately thirty minutes was terrifying rather than arousing, left along the thought, if his alpha gagged him with it.

The video about how a kid was born, was still haunting him in his nightmares, never would he go off his suppressants and surrender to his inner instincts of heat. Eren would rather die than bond with an alpha. He liked kids, but couldn’t imagine himself stuck behind the vacuum cleaner. He rather played Hockey until his legs would give out, or his brain shut down with too many suffered concussions.

He missed his sister and even Zeke that asshat, his mom and no one even bothered to tell him what was going on.

He played hockey, was great at it but other than that, no one really asked for anything not hockey related. No one asked how all that made Eren feel, leaving him lonely and sad, trapped inside himself quietly suffering.

It took Eren asking Nanaba, his billet mom, if he could go down to Buffalo for a free weekend to break all his dreams - for the sky to turn from grey to an endless dark dull pitch black, darker than the night sky and every other darkness Eren ever experienced..

The first time she declined his request with a small smile, it had been enough to push the idea out of his mind for the time being. He wasn’t even suspicious about it, just figured she had her reasons.

The next time there was a tournament coming up shortly after the weekend in question, which made sense that he didn’t need distractions to perform well on the ice. So the “No, darling.” still kinda stung, but she was just looking out for him, like the omega she was. That’s what Eren clung to but not giving up hope that he could soon go back to Buffalo.

But the third time Eren brought the issue up at dinner one evening, he had made sure no tournament or free practice would be affected.

It was school spring break and he had done all his term homework beforehand, looking forward to a free week and the possibility to see his siblings again and maybe even his dad, who Eren could barely remember what he looked like.

The alpha he had been looking up to all his life, hadn’t been around to say goodbye when Carla dropped him off at the Zacharias’s and it stirred such a sadness in him. He couldn’t understand why his dad was avoiding him all of a sudden.

The day before he presented his dynamic, he was his smol Eren, his everything. Now he couldn’t even recall what his voice sounded like. He had no cellphone and didn’t want to ask his billet mom to use their landline, fearing the costs it would create to keep him calling home once a week or so.

In the end all Eren got was a sad smile and Nanaba saying: “No, sorry darling.”

Yet again. Like all the other times before.

Angry tears welled up in his eyes for being declined and rejected all over again and he couldn’t keep it bottled up any longer. The tears slipped past his closed eyes and the sobs wrecked out of his throat against his will.

“But I just want to… see them, want to talk to them...mom and Faye and Zeke.” Eren sobbed into his hands. It wasn’t fair, it didn’t make sense.

“I ...Nanaba I did all my homework, I was good all week and I had the best grades in school, please, please. Please I just want to see them, I will not ask again anytime this year, please just this once.” Eren begged between heart breaking sobs.

“Oh Eren darling.” Nanaba sighed sitting opposite him, pushing her chair back and getting to her feet.

“Really I swear. I promise. I promise I will be good.” Eren sniffled and wiped his eyes with his hands, to stop the tears spilling over his eye lashes. “i haven’t seen them in so long and I just want to, just once.” he pleaded silently with her, his eyes wide and so deeply sadly teal green, it made her heart bleed.

“Honey, I wish I could say yes. I wish I could, I really do but you can’t. I would drive you up to Buffalo myself the next second if we could.” she said, hugging him close to her chest, feeling him bury his face on her chest and his arms clinging to her back, his fingertips scrabbling for purchase in the fabric of her top as he cried.

Nanaba glanced at her husband and alpha over Eren’s fragile frame. It was a rare night that he was home with all of them in the middle of the season. Their own kids kept eating, just sending pitiful looks at Eren every now and again, as if they could feel his pain that was filling the air with the scent of a rainy evening full of thunderstorm and lightning.

It had always been there, since the first day he came to live with them, but now it bordered on overwhelming, pressing into every corner of the room, every crack that even the lights seemed dimmed.

He nodded at her as he slowly rounded the table and gently lifted Eren up, who didn't let go of his wife. They carried him up the stairs into his room together and settled him on the bed.

“Hey big boy.” Mike spoke softly and with only a little tinge of alpha doom in his voice.

“We know you are super upset, but do you think you can listen for at least a second?” he asked carefully, patting Eren’s mop of untamed brown hair. Eren hiccuped and gave the tiniest of nods. Letting the soothing alpha scent wash over the turmoil going on his head.

He didn’t understand, he simply couldn’t.

“Listen Eren sweety.” Nanaba said softly, handing him a hanky from her pants pocket. The nickname just forced more tears to surface, spoken so softly that it reminded him of Carla,his mom.

“We really would love to let you go up to Buffalo and see your siblings and mom. And we know you’ve been good ever since you came here.” she assured him, wiping the snot from his nose, while he listened to her steady and calming heartbeat under his ear.

“It’s not us holding you back dear.” she said sadly, glancing up to her husband for help how to break the news to him.

“We are glad to host you Eren and it’s a pleasure to have you here and see you light up the league. But your parents didn’t only sent you over to play amazing hockey.” Mike went on for her, grinding his teeth together. He hated saying it just as much as his wife hated it.

“Why?” Eren hiccuped helplessly. Sad green eyes turning into his direction, brows furrowed slightly from sniffling, clutching the handkerchief Nanaba had given him.

“The thing is, it’s not your fault Eren, but there is a bit of a problem about you being an omega.” Eren looked lost at him as if he couldn’t really follow, which direction this conversation was heading to.

“So it’s bad to be omega?” Eren hiccuped.

“That’s why everyone makes fun of me on the team, isn’t it? They hate me for being an omega.”  Eren sobbed, knuckling at his red puffy eyes. His billet parents were shocked about the way Eren just dropped that bomb on them. He never mentioned anything to them about being bullied on his team.

“No darling! It’s not bad to be an omega, don’t listen to them. Omega is your dynamic but not who you are!” Mike said soothingly, filling the room with that lavender scent he normally used to keep his own kids in line and calm. Eren relaxed slightly, snuggling further into Nanaba’s arms, letting the alpha scent wash over him.

“I’m an omega too and I’m not a bad person, Eren.” Nanaba spoke up softly, ruffling his hair gently, before going back to caress his back.

“Just sometimes, people think different and they have a problem when an omega is around them. It’s a bit like, when you were little and had been scared of the dark, you know?” Nanaba explained. Eren frowned, but nodded for her to go on. He always had been scared about monsters under his bed and so was his younger brother. He wasn’t scared anymore, but the last time he had seen Zeke, he still needed a night light to keep the darkness away while he slept. Which reminded him that at some point when he had been his age, he might have needed that too.

“People who are not omega sometimes get scared of omega’s, like being scared of the dark, so they avoid what they don’t know. Sometimes people just avoid you, to not harm you, because they may say hurtful things, when being around you, because they don’t understand why you are different and get out of control. But different is okay, we have alpha’s like Mike and omega’s like you and beta’s like your coach and we are all different but okay. Wouldn’t it be boring if we all would be like Coach or Mike?” she asked with a smile, while her husband growled a little, mixed with suppressed laughter.

“That makes sense.” Eren sniffled and blew his nose loudly, feeling calmer and exhausted.

“So your parents are a bit like that Eren, they are scared of what they don’t know. But I’m sure they still love you. They just can’t be around you at the moment, because they don’t want to hurt your feelings. Do you understand?” his billet mom asked gently.

“I guess.” Eren gives in, chewing on his bottom lip thoughtfully, the heavy scent of rain and thunder slowly decreasing.

“I don’t want to be like coach!” he exclaimed when he processed the last bit of reasoning.

Nanaba and Mike laughed, seeing a small smile even playing on Eren’s face, that still was drained off all color.

“You won’t Eren. You will be way better than coach! I can already see that and we are really proud of you.” Mike said, getting up from the bed.

“Thank you.” Eren whispered and yawned, rubbing his eye and the underside of his nose.

“You must be tired, what about you lay down and we let you sleep in tomorrow?” Nanaba suggested.

Eren nodded at her and rolled further up the bed and on his side, letting Nanaba fuss over him, tugging him into the blankets and the comforter, straightening his hair on the pillowcase and kissing his forehead. Both of them wished him a good night, before the light was turned off and Eren dropped off to sleep in an instant. The faint scent of lavender pulling him under and allowed him to feel safe and protected.

Eren never asked the Zacharias again. Nanaba and Mike weren’t sure if it could be figured to be an improvement, or if Eren had simply just surrendered to the fact at hand.

He was not particularly avoiding them, he actually took part in family activities after that and also played video games with their kids a couple of times, but one outstanding thing was how calm he had become.

Eren who used to be quite a chatterbox, if Carla’s descriptions of what her boy was like at home, were anything to go by, was not talking more than seemed needed. He answered when asked, on a good day even threw in some random questions, but in general Eren didn’t talk, except for discussing hockey.

He could fill hours with strategies, outlining plays, analyzing statistics and more often than not he asked for Mike’s input on some stick handling. Mike Zacharias never declined and sometimes he and Eren spent hours in Mike’s office discussing plays or contract negations, when Eren was drafted to the Maria Knights in 2004 as number 33 overall in the 5th round of the Midget Draft. 

Of course there was a lot of confusion about his picked out number to wear, since the 30s are usually used by goalies, most of them who are really good at what they do. He was not a goalie for sure, just a right winger. He did not fit the skater’s description for a number 33, which is something among the lines of  “ 6'9 Eastern European man mountains are preferred” in the unwritten book of how - to - pick - your - fucking - jersey - number other than for good luck and what the heck not. But it wasn’t his fault omegas were tiny. Would he have turned out a beta or an alpha, he would probably be 6 feet and 9 inches or more.

Moving up in the Ontario Hockey League was a step Eren wasn’t sure he could do just right then. He was still struggling with his dynamic, so he postponed it for two years, not feeling ready and good enough to compete up there and attended the U-18  National Team Development Program instead. His aim was better, hockey skills improving and showing off all the alpha’s, that tried to push him down.

Eren refused to bow or kneel for anyone on his team and the spite and hate he got from his teammates didn’t help him figuring out his issues at all. He just became even more silent. Closing in on himself and spent an alarming amount of  time in his room when he wasn’t playing or studying. Questions drifting back and forth in his mind, as he tried to figure out how to be the omega that everyone expected him to be.

He got to his knees for the coaching stuff if he was facing an alpha, for the management just to keep them attuned to him, but only ever if it was really necessary. Otherwise he didn’t care if it pissed them off.

“Why don’t you purr for your teammates Eren?” coach had asked with a disappointed expression. Eren couldn’t help himself but simply snorted in reply.

“We have enough other omegas on the team to do that.” had been his blunt answer.

“Why don’t you just suck some dicks to get better, Eren-boo?” one of his alpha teammates had joked and tried to push him to his knees. Eren had wrestled out of his grip and simply left for home. It wasn’t the first chirp in this direction he ever heard. It came up on the regular, when he was facing off with opponents, but it never really hit home when he was on the ice, off the ice it was a total different matter.

“Hey Eren- boo,  how many cocks do you need to get through heat? Four? Five, maybe eight? Tell us about it.” He hated it and usual tend to ignore it. But it still followed him home every time.

He had tried all throughout omega class and simply couldn’t purr, now alone in the darkness of his room in the Zacharias’s house, with the never leaving sadness attacking him all over again, a low rumble filled the air around him. Eren slowly calmed down from his inner freak out, holding onto the tune, dropping his mind off to a place, where there was nothing but Eren, a hockey stick and a puck and that low constant rumble drying his tears.

Eren’s purr was weak, not really growing stronger but it was there, constant and silently putting him off to sleep, the tension slipping out of his stiff muscles and shutting his head down.

The scent of thunder and rain filling up his room, as the purr slowly turns into a low growl and finally stops when Eren is fast asleep.

It doesn’t go unnoticed, Mike and Nanaba hear it, as they pass his door on the way to the living room, sharing a concerned glance.

One evening, after listening to Eren soothing himself every night to fall asleep, Mike was not alone waiting up for his billet son in his office.

He and Nanaba had taken action in their own hands in the hope in helping whatever upset the omega in their care.

Sweaty and exhausted from playing keep away and doing suicide drills, Eren trudged in through the front door and dropped his duffle right by the laundry room.

“Welcome home sweetie.” Nanaba smiled, smoothing back some sticky strands out of Eren’s face, getting a small smile in return. It was dim but there. Eren tried his hardest to hide how he felt in front of his billet parents after his latest big freak out.

“Hi.” Eren offered, puffing out a breath and kicking of his shoes, concentrating on keeping his balance, while his legs were still a little shaky from practice.

“Mike is waiting for you in his office dear.” she said, handing him a bottle of blue Gatorade, as he nodded and went over to the door, that lead to the tiny cozy office he had spent so many nights in.

He wondered what would be waiting for him tonight, would they finally tell him to leave?

Trade him like the burden he was and leaving him to deal with another new pair of billet parents?

Had he missed something?

Misbehaved somehow even?

Had his coach finally called and told them what a disappointing omega he was to his team?

Did the Maria Knights kicked him off, after he put them on hold or maybe the U-18 Team kicked him out as well?

Eren bit down hard on his lower lip to keep it from trembling, as he knocked shortly to announce his arrival and slowly pushed the handle down, waiting to face the worst scenarios, that were tumbling over in his head.


	4. We believe in you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, early again. Just for your information, after a lot of consideration, I decided to stick to the original NHL team names, because I couldn't bring it over me to destroy the legacy of an original six club. Thanks for the Kudos and comments so far. You guys are incredible. I'm looking forward on how you enjoy this update (we are occasionally skipping time a bit in the next few updates to get the story going, because I know this is an entire ass long journey to set up the world and whatnot.) ... and I'm contemplating to update on sunday too. Because I'm currently getting along really good, working on chapters. So let me know if you want it, or if you want to wait another week.

The fear must have been clear on his face as Eren entered the office of his billet dad with shaking hands.

“Hey Eren, come on in.” Mike smiled from the desk already facing the couch where Eren usually dropped onto, when they discussed hockey. the scent of lavender drifted into his direction, mixed with something Eren didn’t know.

Was it anger maybe?

Or Hurt?

Disappointment?

He couldn’t place it. Mike had never been anything else than reassuring, kind and supportive to him. It set his stomach rolling.

“Hey Mike.” he mumbled, as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him, glaring uncomfortably at the dark wooden floor, awaiting a punishment from the alpha.

Just for a second he thought about kneeling for Mr. Zacharias, considering if it was required or would shorten the speech awaiting him. He gritted his teeth, tried not to purr. That would be embarrassing as hell. A well hidden secret he didn’t want anyone to know about.

Usually his billet parents never went with the tradition, Eren didn’t have to kneel for Mike. Not at home and not outside of it.

So he dropped the thought and waited, head bowed to show his respect for the other alpha.

He was not brave enough to simply look up and pretend faux causality.

A shriek broke the silence and Eren almost tumbled to the floor, as he was swept up in a crushing hug, ripping his eyes open in shock at the sudden attack of affection, coming face to face with a female upper body.

He could smell alpha scent, he never knew before, a light tone of pine trees and apple pie filled his nose, burning itself in his brain. Even though it was new to him it felt strangely familiar. Memories of his dad filled his mind but soon vanished, it was not the same scent.

“Eren.” Faye exclaimed in excitement, hugging him even closer. Eren didn’t know, if he was hallucinating, but suddenly he realized there was Faye, his sister, right in front of him and he hold on tight. His fingers shaking in the fabric of her top as the tears fell onto her shoulder, soaking the fabric a deeper shade of red.

If this was another one of his self torturing nightmares, he didn’t want to wake up ever again. He would happily die while holding his sister, at least he wouldn’t be alone anymore.

“Faye.” Eren mumbled brokenly, only realising that his sister was taller than him by now. Her chin tucked up on top of his messy mop of brown hair, her hands rubbing soothing circles in his back.

“Oh Eren baby.” Faye muttered, her scent enveloping him like a soft breeze, as she dragged him over to the couch, where Mike sat patiently, waiting for them to have their moment as siblings. Obviously satisfied with his surprise, even though it once again set Eren into tears - at least those were happy tears, he assumed.

“I missed you so much.” Eren hiccups, burying his face deeper into the crook of his sister's neck, not letting go for a second, or even an inch of personal space.

Who needed personal space anyway? He had his sister back, a trinket of home. Suddenly being a 16 year old lonely omega was easier to deal with and just fuck all this hormones, which made him cry more often than not.

Faye didn’t mind at all, holding her brother crushed against her upper body, as if afraid he would disappear into thin air, once she would let go off of him just for a second.

“I missed you too bro and mum loves you.” she went on, patting his hair, as a low pained rumble freed itself from Eren's throat.

He stopped immediately, coughing hard, to pass it off as a form of hiccup, before blinking up at her through wet eyelashes.

Faye and his billet dad exchanged a few meaningful glances with each other, that Eren missed out on.

Mike Zacharias was silently projecting something that came close to: “I told you so.” with his hand gesturing to Eren’s back and the stern, concerned look Faye gave him in return seemed to scream: “Do you think I’m blind, dumbass! This is my brother you are talking about. I could feel him being miserable from a hundred miles away, because we suffered just as much!” But in a mild way. After all she was not accusing the billet family, they had been the only ones willing to deal with an unbonded teen omega, who got outsourced by his family for dynamic reasons.

It wasn’t the Zacharias fault that Eren hadn’t seen his siblings in the past 4 years since leaving home. If someone was to blame, it was his dad. All the traditions had gotten the better of him in his narrow minded view. Faye remembered the stern talkings she and her brother got, when they asked about Eren. She had seen her mom in tears for weeks, until the traditions even were enough excuse for her to stop caring. That’s at least what Faye thought, eying the scene as an outsider.

Eventually they stopped asking about Eren, but she never had forgotten about her oldest brother.

“I heard you are leading the league by points. I knew, you would kick all their asses and show them how it’s done.” Faye smiled, in an attempt to cheer him up once his hiccups had died down.

“102 points.” Eren mumbled shyly, rubbing the spot behind his ear nervously, making Faye and Mike laugh loudly.

“Of course 102 points. You will be playing in the Olympics and the NHL, before we know it.” Faye smiled as Eren blushed and let go of her a little, to sit up straighter, taking a sip from his Gatorade, to help with his sore throat.

“No I don’t think so.” he protested. Which NHL team had a use for an omega, who didn’t purr or let his team mates ruts wash over him, offering his ass up for it freely?

None.

No one needed someone like him. He was too small, everybody was saying it and he hated it, felt betrayed by his own body that even his sister was taller than him. He was no use and most teams had a bonding rule anyway. Preferring to draft bonded mates, rather than deal with the uncertainty and high risk that came with unbonded omega’s and alpha’s.

“Stop talking yourself down Eren, baby.You can! I believe in you!” his sister scolded him and ruffled his hair.

“And what’s going on with that thoughtful face of yours anyway?” Mike chirped in, afraid that the happy effect of seeing his sister would already wear off on Eren.

His billet son frowned.

“It’s nothing.” Eren tried to dismiss it.

“So, you’re saying something is up.” Faye said matter of factly.

“No!”  Eren protested.

“Oh Eren, baby, don’t bullshit me. I know you well enough.” she cuddled him once more.

“I… I was just wondering how you got here?” Eren mumbled embarrassed. It wasn’t really his turn to question, he was glad she had come over in the first place.

“You don’t have to worry about that. Mike and Nanaba got me a train ticket.” Faye smiled.

“But...but what about mom?” Eren felt greedy asking this.

“Eren.” his billet dad interrupted gently. “It’s okay to ask, we would have asked her over as well, but remember the talk we had? Things are a bit difficult.” he said.

“I do remember.”

“Well technically I’m not here.” Faye smiled. “I told mum and dad I would stay with my friend from school a few more days and instead took the train up here.” she laughed.

“But, psst Eren, baby this is our little secret isn’t it. Don’t tell anyone.”

Of course Eren wouldn’t tell anyone at all, he and Faye were in sync, as if they would have never parted. Left alone the fact, that there wasn’t someone to tell it to.

They’d spent time together, introduced the Zacharias’s to the ultimative Yeager dance-off, discussed all kind of books Eren missed out on and had to read, and she even played keep-away with him after practice. Eren felt safer with his sister around and the chirps on ice, that actually sent Faye in a frenzy, when she noticed it the first time, she came to watch him, didn’t hurt so bad anymore.

It felt a little bit like flying, like being on top of the world and Eren racked up even more points in the league. He wanted to succeed more than anything and with Faye believing in him and his talent and skills, nothing seemed to be able to stop him from doing exactly that.

Everybody with eyes could literally see him bloom and getting out of his shell.

Faye’s visit soon became a regular thing every month, something Eren could look forward too, but the sadness never really left his eyes. The hurt still lingered, no matter how often laughter drowned into the hallway, when his sister visited.

Alone at night, after a particularly harsh day Eren was only finding comfort in the slow rumble of his own purring.

But Eren seemed to do better, seemed to fight back and that was all the Zacharias were hoping for. The fire to attack and get past all obstacles was ignited once again, making Eren a potential threat to all opponents on the ice, driving him forward, skating faster, checking harder using his body weight not his size.

When Eren started out for the Maria Knights in the OHL his winning streak continued. After being put on a line with Viktor Tarasenko and TJ van Riemsdyk, he amassed 145 points for the OHL scoring title and combined with van Riemsdyk and Tarasenko for 394 points in total.

Nothing was able to stop him and he crushed defenses and scored on goalies like they would be nothing, not even on the same ice with him.

His coaches were impressed and Eren couldn’t help but smile every time Nanaba and the kids, and sometimes even Faye came to see him play.

Having a celly after scoring and then looking over into the crowd of visitors to see them, in the middle of it all, on their feet, screaming and cheering for him, gave him something close to comfort. The sort of comfort a family could have been to him, if he would still be living in Buffalo. Eren lived for these moments.

The proud glances in their eyes, the tears of joy, the hugs afterwards and positive words, praising his hockey skills. He collected it in his heart, filled it with all these beautiful moments to keep himself from falling apart.

He’d became the rookie of the year and upon the NHL entry drafts, his name was highly discussed as the most talented omega around. Eren didn’t give a shit about the rumors.

All Faye had told him, it was so near to grasp and Eren wanted it. He wanted it so badly. Trained harder, pushed himself further but he also purred more to himself. The stress taking the better of him. He didn’t feel ready for the NHL, what were people thinking if they would actually choose him?

When he got the invitation to attend the NHL entry draft ceremony in Columbus 2007 he was a bundle of nerves, barely sitting still and felt as if his entire limbs were shaking with closed up tension. His head was going a mile a minute.

His, for once, well styled hair, Nanaba had spent so much time on to trim, was already messy by the time he took a seat in the front of the audience. He couldn’t help himself but running his hands through it every other moment, could only keep himself from fisting them in the brown strands.

“You can do this Eren.” his billet mom said, hugging him.

“They will pick you first over all I am sure.” Mike said.

Eren nodded weakly. His head was swimming, his heart was in his mouth, the room suddenly felt too small and his dress shirt glued to his back, the tie too tight almost bordering on choking him. .

He was afraid.

He was terrified, about all the options, about not making it, about people judging him, about his future, about literally every tiny little thing in the fucking universe.

He wanted to get up and get out, run as fast as his legs would allow to carry him. 

“Breathe Eren!” Nanaba said, rubbing his back soothingly and keeping an eye on him.

After enduring a speech so long, Eren was afraid he might actually fall asleep in the middle of it, or puke right in front of all those cameras, his palms were still sticky and his fingers cramped into his dress pants, right above his knees, to keep them from shaking, thumbs fiddling occasionally.

Maybe if he would really do this, maybe his parents would forget about whatever problem they had and welcome him back into the family? That’s the little bit of hope he was unconsciously hanging onto. A feeling so fierce Eren started to count back the days, since his last suppressants and his last injection, just to make sure he was not falling into an unexpected heat.

By now he knew what to expect in theory, but never had to actually go through it, apart from the first stage he had the day he presented - or at least that was all he remembered. He wasn’t planning on changing that ever again. He was not keen on getting laid, having anyone’s hands or mouth on him. At least not since that one night in particular, that was just a hazy memory in his mind, all blurred lines, not enough context, a snippet from the past of his very first heat.

He knew all he needed from omega classes and that was enough to feel uncomfortable and occasionally checking back the schedule, just to make extra sure he was not fucking himself up. The thought of past heat bleeding was enough to make his stomach ache.

Nanaba was holding onto his hand, rubbing soothing circles in the back of it, while Mike was a calming presence of lavender scent right next to him, as the words he so dreaded to hear, started to fill the place.

“So let’s get started. The first selection of the 2007 National Hockey League entry draft belongs to the Chicago Blackhawks.” The presenter announced and Eren was bouncing his leg a little in nervousness, as the crowd gathered, started to cheer, but also booing was heard. Eren glanced up to the screens, thankfully the commentators from TV couldn’t be heard, therefore it was way too noisy.

He watched the board take the stairs up to the stage and their general manager Fritz King bending over the microphone. His voice was strong and serious, his face open as he spoke to the audience, making Eren almost jump in his seat.

“On behalf of the Chicago Blackhawks, we like to thank the Columbus Blue Jacket organisation, their great fans and the wonderful city of Columbus for their great hospitality.”

The crowd roared.

“We’d also like to thank our great fans thirty five hundred throngs tonight ,on the draft party at the United Center. We thank them for their support. This historic pick, first time ever the Chicago Blackhawks have had the first pick and we proudly select.”

A pause made everyone in the audience lean forward, when Fritz went on.

“From the Maria Knights, the Ontario Hockey League, Eren Yeager.”

Screams filled the room and Eren thought he was dreaming.

Was this even real?

He just got drafted first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks. An original team of six that had drafted Levi Ackerman a year earlier. And the first team who drafted an unbonded alpha and now they‘d chosen Eren. Unbonded omega, tiny, small green eyed him.

He couldn’t believe it, even though he had just heard it himself. He got to his feet in a daze, a smile so wide on his face and Mike hugged him close, patting his back, proud alpha scent enveloping him from head to toe, while the words still echoed in his mind.

“From the Maria Knights, the Ontario Hockey League, Eren Yeager.”

 

“Told you, you would be the first. Told you, you got this Eren.” He smiled as Eren didn’t break away, slapping Mike on the back too, not sure if he could compose himself and keep the tears at bay. His smile seem to grew wider by the minute. Nanaba was the next to tug him in proudly. He felt his recently received cell phone buzz in his pants pocket, knowing this would be Faye congratulating him. Mike took his suit jacket, as Eren got swapped up by staff to take him to the stage. His dark green button down probably glued to every muscle on his back as he walked down the stairs.

He couldn’t help but bite his lips, by the time he entered the stage he was almost chewing on them. The spring in his step as he took the stairs, two at a time was obvious, as the nerves rushing through his system.

He made it into the fucking NHL!

Eren shook hands, received welcoming wishes and it all felt so unreal. A dream that had yet to become reality.

But this was reality!

He was  thankful that all the staff were beta’s or he would have had to kneel for them and kneeling in front of cameras, in front of national TV was just the most humiliating thing, he could think of. One of the board guys patted him on the back, but Eren’s smile never faltered, as he took the red jersey with number 7 (for the pick year) and his name on the back in his hands, facing the crowd. His hands were shaking so much and his knees felt like jello, as he dragged the jersey over his head, afraid he would get stuck in it, but thankfully didn’t, and put on the cap they handed to him, before posing for the photographers.

The smug grin on his face would be all over the newspapers. It was a little strained when the guy next to him, whose name Eren had already forgotten again, put his arm around his shoulders, but he just was too overwhelmed to care.

Nanaba was openly crying on his behalf, clapping her hands. Mike sat next to her, calm but so proud and Eren felt on top of the world. The guy next to him, asked him, how it would feel like and he couldn’t remember what his flooded brain did actually answer, but it seemed to be good enough to make them laugh.

He probably just cracked a joke, that would make it down to the locker room even.

He got dragged away to his first interview to TSN with King and was glad, that the cap was hiding his messy hair. By now he was close to tore his head off with tension. Every step he took felt like walking on water, waiting to drown, for the title wave to sweep it away from under his feet.

He made it to the draft, he made it to training camp. He actually had a chance to play in the fucking NHL.

Eren felt almost drunk. Having gone over all the words with Mike the night before, the soundbites to the reporters questions came on autopilot, but Eren couldn’t help it when he said: “I’m going to make it to the team right away.” It felt like lying, because he didn’t believe this at all. He wasn’t even sure if he got the question right. His own language seemed to be leaving him, with nothing left but emotions on a rollercoaster ride.

Why should the Blackhawks risk to put an unbonded  alpha and omega on the same team? This was actually begging for trouble.

But they did choose him, a right winger. They wanted him first overall even. He did what Eld Crosby had done 2 years ago with the Pittsburgh Penguins, went first.  

First overall!

But at the same time, Eren could remember playing against Ackerman and to his knowledge most of the team was bonded anyway so, maybe the Canadian boy wouldn’t be much of a threat to him.

They couldn’t actually plan to bond him to Levi Ackerman, would they?

Eren was worrying himself sick and promised to ask Mike about it, once they got back home to Detroit.

Suddenly feeling thankful, that his billet parents were supporting him so openly and were trying their hardest to answer all his questions.

The media scrum after the announcement was huge and overwhelming, he lost track of how often he was questioned about his dynamic. These questions were the worst and he hated them all.

He was about to play hockey and not use the NHL as potential dating platform. He wanted to be free, play hockey and live by his own rules. Hockey as a profession, was a job and fun if you were any good at it. It was not supposed to function as a “How - to - find - your - soulmate party” or a “How - many - dicks - in - one - night - can - your - team- stick - in -  you” get together convention.

Eren didn’t even know if a hockey player would make for a good date. For all he cared, his only premise for looking had been: it needs to be a guy!

That he had figured out soon enough, anything else was water down the drain. Girls just didn’t do it for him. He had a sister, it just felt kind of wrong, as if he would get it on with her and that was just wrong, beyond wrong on so many levels.

When he returned to the hotel that night, he finally had time to read Faye’s text.

“So fucking proud of you Eren-boo. Hugs and kisses from mom too. Show them how to play real hockey. We love you. We miss you. Take care. Faye and Zeke.”

For the first time that day Eren allowed himself to let his tears fall, in the safety of his hotel bathroom, with the door locked and the lights turned off.

He sobbed to himself, slowly easing down to an exhausted purr that echoed from the tiles around him.


	5. the secret of Levi’s icehouse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, here I am sunday as promised with Levi in tow. Please enjoy reading and I hope to see you guys next week.

The first day of training camp arrived sooner than expected and Eren was shaking with nerves and fear of the unknown environment.

Nanaba had taken him down to Chicago along with the kids a week prior, while Mike stayed back home in Detroit. They stayed in yet another hotel and Eren got the feeling he would see lots of those all throughout his career.

He didn’t actually mind, Chicago was way bigger than Detroit or even Buffalo and he got lost on the El, on the way to meetings with the front office of the Blackhawks and coaching staff, in advance to the training camp, more than once. At least he didn’t run late, but it was still bugging him. It was nothing like Detroit.

“You will get used to it Eren, once you will live here.” Nanaba soothed, when Eren face planted into the hotel cushions as soon as he arrived.

“I should learn how to fucking drive and get myself a big Hummer or something equally badass, to avoid using public transportation. There are just so many people on there, so many scents it’s disgusting. I fucking hate it!” Eren whined, making his billet mom and her kids laugh.

“Language pretty, please. I’m sure you will get used to it. Did you take your suppressants? The only reason why all those scents are driving you up the wall is, because you are stressed. Try to calm down sweety. Take a bath, wind down. Breathe easy, it will all work out. I’m sure of that.” she said.

“I did take my meds and got my last shot two and a half months ago. I guess the team doctors will give me another one soon enough, before it expires. Not that I need it anyway, but just to be on the safe side of things.” Eren replied, rubbing his forehead, before getting back up off the bed again and toddling over to the en suite bathroom, his legs a little unsteady. He sure as hell could do with a nice warm bubble bath, before attending the first day of training camp the next morning.

Even the thought itself made him uneasy. Facing the team that would be watching and observing them, facing all the staff, who would monitor you and judge your every move.

Facing Ackerman, maybe.

“I swear to god, Eren fudging Yeager, get your ass in that bathtub and shut your thoughts down. There is time for worry tomorrow.” Nanaba scolded him from the hotel room, where she was watching Disney movies with the kids and Eren actually flinched, before hurrying out of his clothes and kicking the water tap on.

In the end she was right, there was no use in fretting over meeting Ackerman, if he didn’t even know what would happen, or if he would actually be there. Did the coach staff even say he would attend the training camp, that he would come to see them play, to see Eren play? He sure would want to get away as far as possible from him?

Eren took a deep breath and dived into the warm water of the tub, opening his eyes as he settled right under the surface for a second, before pushing back up for air again.

He would not drown himself, now that he had come so far.

But it helped him focus and the warmth slowly let the tension bleed out of his body, leaving him relieved and relaxed and kind of sleepy.

He toweled off and made himself comfortable on the bed, watching the movie the kids had on with one eye and slowly drifting off to sleep.

His palms were sweating when he entered the icehouse the next morning. Levi’s icehouse.

Did Ackerman even have a fucking practice rink named after him? He must be really fucking special to the Blackhawks to go that far. He’d only been on the team for a year and has already taken over all the alpha duties a good alpha had.

Eren was fucked, truely and well outly fucked.

His head was spinning as he blurt out an almost inaudible “Good morning.” to the receptionist behind the desk and moved on down the hall, following the signs leading him to the locker room. His duffle felt heavy, as if it would have been filled with a ton of bricks.

He was about to fail, he could feel it. He knew it! He would be the worst and disappoint everybody.

The door was not even letting him enter, before his brain finally focussed enough to realize, that he needed to push instead of pull. Even that piece of polished metal had more reason to be here than him.

They would need to apply stickers to that goddamn door for retards like him, for obvious reasons. He couldn’t even open a fucking stupid door, how was he supposed to play professional hockey would be a mystery waiting to be solved.

Eren didn’t want to look up, but he had to lift his gaze from the gray graveled looking carpet anyway to locate his stall. The room was silent and he took in his surroundings for the first time, with the roaring of his heart echoing in his ears. He was the first and he was alone. The room was empty and no duffle or abandoned garments indicated, that anyone was around yet, besides Eren himself. A sigh of relief escaped him, as he flopped down in his stall right on the far end of the right side, marked with a number 33 and his skates made a clattering sound, as his duffle hit the hidden concrete beneath the worn out carpet.

Eren forced himself to take deep calming breaths and tried to ignore his heart, that was still hammering away in his chest, as if it would try to break through his ribcage any second now, drop to the floor and make a bleeding run for it. It felt like a losing battle as the anxiety rolled off of him in sickening waves. He unzipped his duffle bag and started to get ready anyway. If he would fail, he would at least go down in full on hockey gear. Eren was halfway through putting on his protectors, before he even realized other people had filled into the locker room and started to get ready. The white noise in his ears slowly cleared to the usual locker room chatter, people bickering and chirping back and forth, totally ignoring his presence, until they all filled out to the ice to get tested and manhandled.

Eren felt a burning sensation rushing down his spine nevertheless, as he went through his warm up routine, stretching and getting his head on the ice.

It never seemed to leave all throughout practice. It made him itchy and nervous, he totally fucked up his stick handling a couple of times and when asked to do shootouts with the goalie, his scoring percentage seemed to go to shit and hell all at once.

“Yeager get your fucking head straight!” coach Dot Pixis, yelled as he blew his whistle and Eren blushed deep red behind the visor of his helmet.

Such a disappointment to the team. They should have used their draft pick on someone else.

He was thirty seconds away from dropping his stick on center ice, skating off and ripping the gray practice jersey over his head, just running off with his tail between his short skinny legs, like the useless dog he was. He was a lost case, not good enough for the fucking NHL. He should go back to his midget hockey team and stop wasting the staffs time.

They made a mistake drafting his sorry omega ass first overall.

Maybe whoever filled in the stats made a typo and Eren Yeager was drafted by mistake and given the MVP title by mistake as well.

Maybe it was all just one big misunderstanding. It sure must be.

The burning sensation was back on his back again, burning through his armor of shame and guilt and his practice jersey.

Eren dared to swiffle around and stared into the direction it seem to come from.

He came face to face with deep cold silver grey eyes, that seemed to bore deep down into his gut. Lips pressed into a thin white grim line, almost displaying no emotion at all, while the gaze never seemed to falter.

He was staring right at Levi fucking Ackerman.

The person he really wasn't keen to see,  nor meet out of all. Gosh, he would suffer through a 24/7 with the General Manager, if it would make Ackerman and his laser eyes disappear.

Eren tried, but couldn’t break the eye contact as much as he wanted to.

It was an all consuming gaze, not breaking any argument. There was alpha written all over him. The command to obey, being visible right above his head like a fucking traffic sign.

That fucker was guilt tripping him with that death glare. Eren briefly considered, if he should be dead on the ice by now, before he was able to break free and move his legs again. Ears finally picking up again, that coach Pixis was yelling at him, to get a fucking move on.

Fucking Ackerman and his fucking creepy death glare, no wonder people called him Laser. It angered him, propelled him forward onto center ice and line back up for the shootouts on their netminder.

He would prove his worth right now, if it would make the all time Canadian dream boy look into another direction and stop him from boring holes in his back.

Eren upped his game. Something in him fueled by anger seemed to break free and making the plays for him, as he forced shot after shot past the goalie, scoring over and over again. At one point, he thought even the coach gasped for a moment.

Eren tried not to think too much, he rather concentrated on the fire of anger roaring deep inside his belly, pushing him harder, faster, stronger.

In the end he left ice in total exhaustion, sticky with sweat, his muscles satisfied but not feeling that much better, the edge was still just a few feet away. The other rookies and team mates eyed him, judged him, some challenging stares as well, but Eren ignored them all as he got out of his gear and into the shower, spending a very long time under the spray, first turned on as hot as it would go, then turned down to as cold as possible, while his body was shaking.

He skipped the bicycle circuit for cool down, by simply drowning himself in the shower, much to the dismay of the coaching staff, but then again Eren had never been one to follow rules.

He hated rules. His dad had given him rules, school has given him rules. Alpha’s would give rules and Eren as the weak omega, was supposed to obey all of them.

The rest of training camp routine would be the same, Ackerman’s laser death glare followed him everywhere and he felt a couple of other team members watch him like hawks, no pun intended, as well. Jean Kirschtein was having a close eye on him and Eren couldn’t help but twitch under the gaze of the alpha. At least he was bonded and only bossed his husband Marco around, even if it seemed more like gently bossing around from all Eren could tell, when he had seen them together afterwards in the locker room. He seemed to be a nice omega, always giving him a warm smile.

It reminded him of the one Nanaba gave him, when he came back to the hotel room after practice and testings.

Today had been mayhem in the gym, they were pushed to their limits and Eren failed yet again. He was not as fast as everybody else, couldn’t jump as high or as wide. Couldn’t lift that much weight. He couldn’t do anything right for the sake of his own good.

Everybody else seemed to do much better, than he did, even though coach Pixis never said a bad word about his performance in itself.

And then of course, there was Levi fucking Ackerman like a glaring guard dog right next to them, the judgemental asshole.

Eren found himself close to snapping at him, but hell could come, he would not talk to him. No word would leave his lips when Ackerman’s nostrils flared every now and again.

Eren was absolutely sure the other alpha was scenting him. Such a rude thing to do, to scent someone without permission, where did the Canadian dream leave his manners, his Quebec mom taught him? At the front desk?

His dignity was probably lost as well. Eren couldn’t even tell what made him so mad. He was raw and exposed and vulnerable and he didn’t like it one bit. Getting riled up out of nothing wouldn’t do him any good. But that didn’t help him deal with all his mixing emotions. Maybe he should go and see the medical staff and ask for his shot before it was due anyway. Maybe he would feel better afterwards.

At the end of the week Eren couldn’t hold on any longer. The announcement of the roster was only an hour away and his hands were shaking so bad.

They had a free hour to themselves beforehand and most of the guys were scattered around the locker room in various states of undress and equipment, eating their lunch. Eren felt too nauseous for lunch and he really needed reassurance.

Mike was in a meeting and Nanaba and the kids were on their way back to Detroit, since something came up with their son’s school, which was totally okay with Eren, but still. He needed a hug and the hotel room at night felt more empty and lonely then before, when Nanaba was just in the next room over.

He slipped out of the locker room and walked down the hallway of Levi’s icehouse, looking for the fire exit he had noticed on his first day.

It didn’t take him long to find it and he ended up in a side alley hidden from street view, littered with a few garbage cans. There was no need to keep the red emergency door open, if it swung close he could still walk in through the front entrance and be perfectly fine.

The thud of the metal door echoed around the street, as it swung shut and Eren closed his eyes, sighing deeply and turning his gaze up to the rainy sky. A few raindrops were actually leaving the thick cloud cover, that was hanging over Chicago for a few days already and the cold rain did nothing to hide the tears he let slip past, as he let his guard and fake persona down for those few minutes, outside where no one would see him.

Would Nanaba have booked him a flight back to Detroit, just in case?

The weak purr that had become so familiar to Eren rumbled through his chest, up his throat into the afternoon. He flopped down on the dusty street, not giving a single fuck about his workout shorts or flip flops giving away too easily to the little parts of gravel under him. His entire posture sinking and faltering for the time being. There was no fake bravado that he made everyone believe. No cheeky jokes, just Eren himself with that big cloud above his head that never seemed to get tired of following him around. Surrender washed over him with that little bit of relief and comfort, the purr he had come so adjusted to brought with it.

Nothing else mattered right now. He crossed his arms over his chest, holding his shoulders tight, embracing himself against the flood of feelings inside of him. Maybe he really needed his shot earlier or stronger suppressants to control his emotional backlash.

There was no way he would survive an entire season like this. But there would be no season, he would be sent back to the AHL. The despair didn’t seem to give in, but swallowing him up even more and Eren lost himself to that feeling.

He didn’t notice the emergency door being opened just for the fraction of an inch and he did not register the gaze that lingered upon him that entire time.

His nose was blocked with snot, from the tears still rushing down his cheeks, so the fine scent of maple leafs didn’t register and went unnoticed as well as the low growl Levi let out, as he watched the young omega break down to pieces of himself.

Levi didn’t know why he had followed the omega outside in the first place, he just knew there was something wrong about Eren and he had the urge to make it go away. The little guy with the bright teal green eyes, hilarious clothing and unholy brown mop of hair, was scenting all over the place and he didn’t even seem to notice it himself. Not even that his flip flops were totally out of place and annoying as hell, when the little thud, thud, thud echoed around the hallway, much to everybody else’s amusement. If you couldn’t see Yeager, you were able to hear him anyway, just in case you haven’t scented him yet.

Levi’s first impression of Eren Yeager, first overall draft pick and soon to be teammate, was the scent of a rainy evening with thunder and lightning and it scraped the inside of his nose almost raw with the urge to protect the other omega. He couldn’t help himself, it was his entire nature, the way his mom had raised him and Canadian society had formed him. He didn’t like to be around people, who were upset. There had to be a specific kind of harmony at least and Eren was as far away from that, as the moon from crashing into their own planet. The sadness was bone deep and an agony was following the guy around like a shadow. Enough to shake Levi Ackerman’s entire being up and question his alpha instincts, who were on high alert.

It bothered Levi for reasons he refused to investigate, but it also set the other members of the team and Blackhawks organisation on edge. He saw it in their closed off behavior, in their brief glances exchanged among each other, the tiny hand gestures no one would pay attention to, if they weren’t actually looking for them. The whispered words behind closed doors and the anger sometimes coming from the alpha’s and other omega’s on the team, when everyone did, what their dynamic expected them to do, just to see Yeager getting away with having none of it.

It didn’t go unnoticed, that Eren was the last in the shower and usually not leaving, before the room at large was gone already. It were the first signs of something seriously, concerningly wrong and Levi had enough sense to pay attention to it and report about it to the staff. But no one seemed as unsettled by it as Levi himself.

He saw it all and when Horseface had approached him, at the first day of training camp , right after the training break, the first thing out of the other alpha’s mouth had been: “Never seen anyone so miserable Levi. It’s so strong you can’t even ignore it, if you want to and I’m bonded to Marco since high school, dude! I’ve had my fair share of miserable feelings and scents testing my resolve and focus. I almost get the feeling, he doesn’t even want to be on the team. Left along play with us.”

“Bullshit Horseface.” Levi had scoffed, in an attempt to play it cool and play it down. He came so close to just nod and agree with him, because Jean nailed it straight on, voiced what Levi’s concern was, since he saw the strained smile on his TV back in June,  when Eren had dragged the jersey over his head at draft day. But it was Levi’s responsibility to make Kirschtein ease up.

“You should come see him play.” Horseface had said and Levi had followed and ever since that day, his eyes had never really let go of Eren Yeager. He struggled to not accidentally take advantage of Eren, to do anything  against Eren's will or to make the other omega feel uncomfortable with Levi hanging around him like that all the time. It wasn’t his place to judge or intrude or god forbid , force himself upon the other omega, but he couldn’t just stand by and watch either. So he found himself sneaking up in the dark, watching Eren purr to himself in an abandoned side alley of Levi’s ice house more by choice than by accident.

He tried to tell himself, that maybe this was just a one time thing. It was strange okay, but Eren wasn’t the first omega purring without an alpha or a team around. It didn’t concern Ackerman. Not yet at least. It just made his cheek flush and burn with shame, this moment was not supposed to be for his eyes.

Levi turned around on his heels, letting the door open just a fraction with an empty can of coke, that was lying around the floor, probably left behind by another rookie and made his way back to the locker room. It was almost time to announce the roster choices and not for the first time Levi wondered , if Eren would accept the deal they had on the table for him. A three year entry contract, binding him to Chicago, to the Blackhawks organisation and to Levi himself in some way at least.

They were offering a chance he shouldn’t refuse. Even if his on ice performance during training camp seemed to fall short, in comparison to the other rookies, he still stood out with his perfect stickhandling, play making and set up. NHL or not, a good mindset and determination were hard to find and Levi could feel it brewing just under Eren’s surface. The will, the determination, the passion for hockey, it was clearly there.

Despite that it would be horrendous to expect an omega to achieve the same testing results as an alpha, since their physique didn’t really allow them to build up so much strength and muscle. Omega’s in general were smaller, more delicate features, softer and more emotional, less aggressive. All the attributes Eren seemed to push far back, to push himself forward reaching for the stars. Levi had seen it in the way the omega had struggled to keep up, had seen it in his posture, his stand on the skates biting into the ice.

Eren pushed his limits to live up to an alpha status, even though he was an omega by law.

Shortly after Levi had entered the noisy locker room, Eren walked in after him, head bowed, showing respect but not kneeling and dropped into his stall oblivious to the whispers and preoccupation around him. He seemed to have finally pulled himself together and out of whatever sub space he had been gone to. Coach Pixis finally seeing all his guys in one place, took the word and raised his voice to get their attention.

“Let me assure you, everyone of you did great and pushed himself far beyond expectation. Nevertheless we can’t take on all of you sons, but that doesn’t mean we will abandon you either. After all you raised the team’s interest for a reason in the first place. The Rockford Icehogs still need a lot of talent and we can assure you, that none of you will go home without a team to stay with.” the coach went on in his speech, every rookie was clinging to his lips. It was just a motivational speech, the real choice results would be told in private, but it still made Levi Ackerman proud to see all their eyes sparkle with hope and determination, to be assured that there was a place for all of them somewhere.

It was a rare occasion that the board was actually able to stick with all prospects, someone would usually disappoint their expectations, but none had and after the last season had ended, too many had left or had to leave for better deals, due to injury or other reasons. They really could do with stocking up their storage so to say. Fuck the salary cap anyway, it was the most stupid invention ever. 

The players then slowly trickled in and out of the room to their personal conversations with the staff, finally getting to know their fate. Levi observed happy faces and a few tears, strong handshakes and pats on the shoulder, bumped fists and some even laughing out hysterically. It was a win - win situation all over.

Eren was the last to be called in and actually also took the longest time to return. Jean and Levi were waiting for him, both grinning, knowing his fate already.

When he finally made an appearance his face was ashen with shock, his walk slow and careful, as if he wasn’t sure if his legs could actually carry his weight any longer.

From all the things he had expected, being offered a contract hadn’t been one of them.

“Welcome to the team Yeager!” Horseface yelled as soon, as he - Eren, had stepped into the locker room and just hugged the tiny guy without letting go for a second. Ackerman sniggered at the blank expression in Eren’s teal green eyes, who was looking at him over Jean’s shoulder in stunned silence and disbelief.

 

“Welcome to the Blackhawks brat.” Levi said seriously and gave him a thumbs up, careful not to approach or frighten the omega. Jean’s presence seemed to be overwhelming enough for him.


	6. Captain

The start of the season went rather uneventful, Eren was still living in the hotel but Nanaba and Mike helped him looking for an apartment. Eren still couldn’t believe, that he actually made it onto the roster and when he set foot in the United Center the first time, after training camp and signing his three year entry contract up in the office, he bumped right into Levi Ackerman, dressed in a red jersey with a glowing “C” on his chest. Eren couldn’t believe his eyes. Was he dreaming and still asleep in his hotel bed? This must be a freaking fucking nightmare!

He was his fucking captain now, the boss in the locker room. The alpha overall.

Eren gulped, pressed out a hurried: “Sorry.” Because he was sure, he was running late that morning, before rushing away to the locker room.

He shouldn’t be so surprised, that the alpha got the C after all. He might be unbonded but his sense to lead was all over the place and somehow, the entire team seemed to accept him anyway. Levi Ackerman was a born leader.

Everybody turned to him for advice, help and a guiding hand. Asked him for plays during intermissions and usually he was the one motivating the team, when they had a slump anyway.

Not that Eren would know about that, he didn’t, but it was printed all over the media anyway. So if Eren would have taken time to look up Levi Ackerman via Google or even ESPN would do, he would have been a little more prepared for it maybe. Levi was among one of the three hockey players to be ever named captain of a hockey team at this young age and this soon after being drafted into the National Hockey League on top of that.

They already talked about him becoming the next member of the triple gold club in no time.

But maybe, just maybe Eren should call his new agent Keith Shadis - whom he got through Mike, after it  became clear that the NHL was interested in drafting the right winger - to ask him to cancel or change or do whatever the flying fuck with his contract.

Because he was sure, he would not survive this season with Levi as his captain. There was no way in hell he could be around the unbonded alpha and his death glare. The tension in the room was way too much and Eren had yet to consult the medical stuff about the dosage of his suppressants. Levi was making him feel so edgy, he was afraid to lose his shit any minute they shared together.

DANGER!

DANGER!

DANGER!

His entire system was screaming at him.

 

“Yeager!” Levi’s voice was stern and full of power and Eren’s knees really buckled. His brain suddenly screaming at him to get down and apologize. To do whatever it required, to stop the punishment, that was about to come his way from the alpha disciplining him, for refusing him the power exchange. Levi must be so angry about Eren refusing to obey. It was his fucking duty to get to his knees in front of an alpha, without actually being asked to do so. It was social etiquette.

He would not kneel for that fucker! He never did for anybody, he was more worth than that. Also god gave him two legs for a reason and the purpose did not include spending half his life time on his knees for some power thirsty assholes, rather than on his feet, at least so he assumed.

Eren stopped in the middle of the hallway, head down and waited, not even bothering to reply to Levi’s indication. He felt itchy and just wanted to get away. What was so important that Ackerman had to stop him?

Did he want to rub it into Eren’s face? His new achieved captain title.

Get off on the power he possessed by the simply letter added to the chest of his jersey?

Was that something that got Levi going?

Was the Canadian asshole getting of on it, maybe hard in his jeans, dick twitching against his fly a little painfully, straining to get free?

Just the thought made Eren feel like he was going to throw up immediately.

“Brat, what’s wrong?” Levi demanded all deadpan and monotone, his voice hasn’t changed at all since training camp.  It lacked every emotion or warmth. Levi Ackerman always so composed and controlled, almost cold.

“Nothing, everything is alright.” Eren hurried, sounding feeble and not as sure as he wanted to. He could actually feel his resolve shaking, his knees bending a little by the sheer force of Levi’s glare on him. Those dead shark eyes. He was weak in the face of him.

“Bullshit, my ass! You smell like fucking misery all over.” Levi growled.

“Don’t you fucking sniff me, you asshole!” Eren yelled and stormed off, not even stopping or listening any longer. If he stayed a second longer, he would lose his head around the alpha. He would do something he would regret, he didn’t know what that exactly would be, all he knew was - he was close to do it- oh so really close- and it would be stupid and ruining him one way or another. Or damage the both of them in the process.

No one would win in the exchange of awkwardness.

Levi Ackerman was such a rude fucker, how dare he scenting Eren, when they were not bonded.

Rule number one in every alpha and omega classes was: Never smell someone without permission or given consent at any time! Except the scent is so overwhelming, that you actually can’t ignore it, or you are bonded to your mate.

Relationship rules were a total different matter and usually set between the mates in private.

Levi snorted in annoyance at himself. He had handled that entire thing totally wrong. He was torn between instinctively wanting to bond with Eren and at the same time, sensibly wanting for Eren to feel safe at his job, even with himself being around. He fucked up on all ends and he was the goddamn captain. Ten thousand asshole points his way. This season would be the end of him.

How was he supposed to lead a team, when not all of them trusted him? Yeager first overall and also the only one probably, the only obvious one at least, who was actually even going so far as actively avoiding him. That little brown haired shitstain was not giving two fucks about Levi’s authority. Undermining him even, but Levi couldn’t be mad at him, everybody else would have Levi yelling at him without a second of patience, but not Eren.

The omega had something special and precious to himself, something Levi couldn’t pinpoint, but it was pressing all of his alpha instinct buttons just about right.’s

 

Eren bumped right into Reiner Braun and his omega Bertolt Hoover, as he rushed into the locker room and came face first with Reiner’s shoulder blades in the process. Smashing straight into him, nose suddenly stuck in the soft Henley he was wearing, ribs momentarily colliding with Bertolt’s arm that was curled around his mate’s waist, before stumbling back into the door frame.

“What the fuck?” the older alpha said and turned on his heel, eyeing Eren sourly.

“Everything okay with you rookie?” he asked and Eren just apologized yet again and staggered over to his stall, rubbing his nose, that was burning with the sharp uncomfortable mix of citrus that surrounded the bonded pair. It could also be poison for all he knew, Eren didn’t like it, but then again bonded pairs didn’t need a 3rd party involved, once they had committed to each other. Their first and foremost need was their mate and their kids if they had any.

“It’s okay Reiner. He seems a bit all over the place.” Bertolt purred, keeping  Braun level and relaxed, even though he himself felt offended. Reiner and him were glued by the hip and Bertolt really didn’t fancy sharing with anyone. Not even with Yeager, who came with no strings attached and would do for a good playmate sometimes, just to spice up the action in their bedroom of course. Bertolt had noticed the new guy being a little off, when he went to watch training camp with some other teammates, who were not actively training with the prospects, unlike Horseface, Farlan, Thomas and Laser Levi. To him it seemed like Yeager was still a little confused. Whatever was on the omega’s mind was heavy and taking up most of his focus, if the stench he carried around like a dark cloud, was anything to go by. To Bertolt it smelled like a skunk but then again, every guy who could possibly get between him and Reiner smelled like skunk to him anyway. Bertolt was not the type to make exceptions, possible betrayal and lies were labeled as skunk for him. A sort of pre - warning of his own mind. Watch out for the tell tale signs to keep your alpha to yourself. It was one of those relationship advices Berolt had picked up by his parents.

“Nah, it’s fine. Just watch where you are going next time kiddo. I’m not meant to protect you from walking into the next best lamp post, you know.” Reiner joked trying to play it off, but Eren was not even paying attention to him. Reiner and Bertolt frowned at each other, but left him to his rookie devices soon after without another word.

“That was weird!” he heard Reiner say, before the door closed behind the both of them with a soft click.

They would probably go and talk to Levi, super massive captain dick - Ackerman, Eren thought, as he changed into his workout gear and went to exhaust himself on the treadmill.

He wasn’t really angry with the other alpha, he didn’t even know why he was filled with so much hurt, whenever he was forced to talk to him. Levi just set him on edge and Eren was afraid to lose control. Being around Levi was a threat and he couldn’t really name the fear itself.

He pushed his hand through his sweaty hair panting for breath and rubbed the sweat down his face, before grabbing for the towel he had hung over the bike next to him, just to find it hold out to him. Eren grabbed it and rubbed his face clean, smelling a hint of maple in the fabric, which calmed him down further. The scent reminded him of autumn and leafs falling. Once done, he pushed the fabric out of his face and glanced up to thank, whoever had provided it to him, just to see Levi standing there, a little smile tugging at the corner of his lips, a crinkle at the corner of his eye.

Eren wanted to scream, but he didn’t even had time to take a breather, because Levi winked and gave him a nod before casually walking away, as if he hadn’t done anything worth yelling for. As if he hadn’t just stepped up into Eren’s personal space without being invited to do just that. Totally composed and straight and not glancing back once, while Eren stared after him, confusion visible on his face.

“What the fuck!” Eren blurt out and stumbled sideways and off the treadmill.

What kind of game was Levi playing at? It was confusing Eren to no end.

Without wasting time to get deeper down the road of his mixed up emotions, to the captain’s mixed up signals he was receiving, Eren left and went to the medical staff’s office instead of the locker room.

He needed clarity, or a plan B, or whatever other safety precaution he could take, or he would have gone insane by the end of the week.

He knocked at the door frame and waited to be called in. Doc Zoe called him in just a few seconds later and frowned upon seeing Yeager enter. She was not prepared to see the rookie so soon after the last training’s camp examination round.

“Hi doc.” Eren mumbled.

“Hi Eren. How can I help you?” the beta smiled politely, taking in, how tightly Eren was clenching at the towel in his hands, twisting it nervously first to the left than to the right side and back again.

“I don’t know, I guess I might have some problems with my meds.” Eren stumbled over the words, after closing the door with a push of his backside and leaning up against it, head bowed.

“You know or you guess? How do you come to that conclusion? Anything happening?” Dr. Zoe asked, while she eagerly turned around in her desk chair and rolled over to the cabinet, to get Yeager’s file out.

“I have trouble with scents and I get angry really easy.” Eren said, leaving Ackerman’s name out on purpose. He didn’t get really angry around Horseface or Braun or Arlert or any other team mate.

The doctor hummed and opened Yeager’s file at her desk, the red “O” for omega on his papers drawing Eren’s gaze up and making him recoil.

“Your last shot is only 2 weeks old. I remember giving it to you. Interesting.” she said and gestured for Eren to take a seat on the examination table.

“Can you take off your pants, so I can check your thigh over? Just to make sure there is no inflammation or infection going on. Do you feel feverish or experience any other side effects?” she questioned, her eyes almost escaping her sockets with how weird she is staring at him. Eren did as he was told, tugging his workout pants down to his knees to expose his thigh, which looked perfectly fine, to himself at least, but he was no specialist, before answering the doctor’s question.

“Not in general. It’s mostly just my emotions are all over the place and way more intense than usual, you know. I feel kind of edgy like a bomb ready to explode, like if someone pulled the trigger but the timer is not going off. I don’t know.” Eren sighed, rubbing his thigh thoughtfully. How much of the truth should he bare to the team physician? He didn’t want the older beta to laugh at him.

“Sometimes it feels like I have heat waves, but it’s not constantly more like a sudden rush that goes away after a few minutes - depending on however long it took to escape Levi, he didn’t say -  but my skin feels kind of itchy all the time, especially when my emotions fuck around. All scents are kind of overwhelming me and I have trouble sleeping, because my head is picking up every crack of sound. It’s like someone turned the volume all the way up and it makes my head ache.” he tried to describe what it felt like being around Levi Ackerman. As he recalled it sounded a lot like migraines but different.

The team physician nodded, rubbing her chin with index finger and thumb thoughtfully, listening closely, before she prodded and squeezed the skin, where she had injected the needle to give Eren his shot two weeks ago.

“Well there is no obvious infection and the things you describe sound like your suppressant levels might be too low. I would need to run a blood sample to confirm this. Are there any special situations that trigger these effects? Or a person that triggers it?” she asked, taking notes in Eren’s file, pen flying across the page in chicken scratch like a mad scientist.

“No.” Eren lied. He didn’t want to throw Levi under the bus like this.

“Are you sure?” Dr. Zoe challenged and eyed him.

“Yes!” Eren pressed out through gritted teeth, refusing to look at the doctor.

“Eren, you need to be honest, you know. We already have you on the highest suppressants available, we can higher your dosage, but not by much, without having to fake your piss test for the National Hockey League front office. You know, that these drugs show on your doping tests and that hormones, no matter which ones,  are affecting your game. Also the higher your dosage gets, the more side effects will occur. I’m just warning you about the consequences. This is no easy way out.”

“I know.” Eren mumbled.

“So you’ve been on your drugs for how long?” the doc asked, as she prepared the needle and pulled the tourniquet around Eren’s arm tight.

“Since I was thirteen.” Eren replied, wincing as the needle broke through his skin, tearing his eyes away as doctor Zoe took his sample.

“Well, that’s pretty early for going into heat and then deciding to go on suppressants.” Hanji said, pulling out the needle and fixing Eren up with a band aid and told him to press for another 2 minutes or so, to avoid bruising, while she labeled his sample and handed it through to their testing office.

“I never went into heat.” Eren mumbled, rubbing his arm. His elbow a little sore from the thick needle. He hated it, blood samples were the worst!

“The sample will take some time, but it should be done after practice. Wait, say that again you… WHAT?” The doc looked at him with eyes big as plates. Hanji thought she must have heard wrong.

“I never went into heat.” Eren repeated, staring at the wall of the office. What was the big deal about it anyway? It was the first time he said it this clearly, since it never came up with the medics before, but he never thought much about it either. Seeing the doctor looking at him in shock was kind of unsettling.

“Under these circumstances I’m not sure, if we can higher your dosage at all, Eren.”

“What’s the problem about it! What does it matter?” Eren snapped angrily.

“It matters a fucking lot! If you never had a complete heat, you were literally starved off from it, your body never broke out into a full heat so to say and your hormones were never able to adjust to a regular level. This could explain, why you need such a high dosage in the first place.” Hanji snapped right back, not taking any piss. She worked with thick headed Hockey assholes for far too long, to not let it show.

“Bullshit, it’s not like I never jerked off or so.” Eren said, looking pissed about the judgement. He came here to find a solution about his problem with Levi, not to get a fucking talking to, about his non existent sex life or non existent desire to reproduce.

“That is actually Bullshit, son. The amount of time you get off, has nothing to do with your hormone levels. The hormones released in heat differ from those off set free by a usual orgasm. Didn’t they teach you that in omega class?” Eren shrugged, he might have slept through that class or ignored picking up on that information with intend, or he just missed the entire class in favor for hockey practice, either one of those would be to blame for sure. 

“Ask me if I fucking care!” Eren snarled and got up from the examination table.

“I don’t need a lesson in sexual education doc. Not from you anyway! I will get back to you after practice, to discuss my testing results and what we can do about it. And only my testing results!” Eren said, slamming the door behind him on his way out, feet stomping harsh on the floor.

Everyone in this fucking building seemed to piss him off today. He actually felt like crying. Why didn’t they get it?

If the doctor wouldn’t give him any more shots or whatever drugs, he was in deep shit. He didn’t know how deep for real, but just the sound of it was terrible. It scared him and he did the first thing that came to his mind.

He pulled out his phone, sneaked off into an empty room and called his billet mom.

He didn’t know how late it was in Detroit. His brain was running highwire already to even remember that trivial bit of information. Time zones be damned.

Nanaba picked up on the third ring, the static rush told eren, that she was somewhere outside, probably in the backyard watching the kids or in the car  taking them to school.

“Eren baby, what’s up?”

“Nana.” Eren sniffled and curled up against the door, he just closed to keep everyone away, as the first tears left his eyes.

“Oh sweety, why are you so upset? What’s wrong? Did something happen?” she asked, concern deep in her voice.

Eren told her about the doctor and vaguely about Levi, without actually saying the alpha’s name out aloud, in between heavy sobs and sniffling. He didn’t hold back about his fear and how he felt like no one understood.

He let Nanaba soothe him and tell him to: “ Now enough tears son, go and get your ass into practice and show them how to play beautiful hockey. Score, check and hit the net and afterwards, take it easy and ask your doc what to do and how your testing results do look like. We will go on from there, when it is about time. There is no use in getting ahead of yourself lovely. I’m just a phone call away dear. You can call at any time and you know that. Day or night, I don’t care and Mike doesn’t either. We are here for you. We’ll always be.”

“Thank you, Nana.” Eren mumbled, holding onto his phone and rubbing his hand over his eyes. He needed to go to the bathroom and get rid of those tear streaks on his cheeks, before going back into the locker room. He didn’t want the others to pick up on his emotional freak outs.

Eren had no idea how, but he got through practice without anyone noticing, or so at least he thought. Jean was chirping him as usual and Ackerman just went all bossy captain, as to be expected. Single minded Hockey focus mode only, no distractions, soothing routine of some sort. Push, skate, score - repeat.

At least he didn’t use the opportunity to show Eren off as the weak link of the team.

There were a couple of pitiful glances, when he tripped over the goalpost in his haste to get after the puck and flopped face down on the ice like a bird, but no one laughed. Eren simply got up and dusted the ice off his shins, before getting back into position. Horseface slapped him on the butt with his stick jokingly afterwards.

Eren wasn’t alone. Levi, the captain himself managed to land flat on his ass in the middle of center ice, tripping over nothing!

NOTHING!

There was nothing, no stray puck or stick, or another teammate's skate in the way.

Nothing at all!

He simply skated by and seconds later, he was ass down. It didn’t even look that slippery over there.

Eren couldn’t help himself but giggle silently at the sight of Laser Levi on his butt and the flabbergasted face of him, that went along with it, as if he wasn’t sure how he got there in the first place. Levi stared across the ice in wonder for a second.

“Need a hand captain?” Jean Kirschtein taunted, waving his glove sheepishly in an imitation of a bird.

“Fuck you Horseface!” Levi grumbled, but took his hand nevertheless to haul himself up again. The coach blew his whistle to get everybody back in line and practice continued, while Jean had a fest about imitating Levi and dropped at center ice over nothing. Ackerman flipped him the bird. The entire team smiled and made fun of it to no end. It was brought up all throughout practice again and again. Eren realized, that his fall was not being mocked by them like Levi’s was. Maybe they had some respect for him after all, or maybe it just meant his fall was embarrassing, because it included the goal post.

“YEAGER!” Kirschtein shrieked, sinking down to one knee, pretending to fall back over, his hands reaching into Eren’s direction for help. ”Help me! I’m falling over my grace. Save my seriousness from falling apart!”

Eren looked at him unsure, if he should actually play along, or was allowed to laugh, he stopped, frowning, even though the sight was really a delight. Horseface was hilarious. Maybe this was a test? Eren didn’t want to fail the test by giving in.

“KIRSCHTEIN!” Ackerman barked across the ice, from the opposite side of the rink, where he was passing pucks out to Arlert and Wagner.  “Let the rookie be and stop making a fool of yourself, you stupid nutjob.”

“Na na naha. Captain serious!” Jean singsonged, winking at Eren, as he got back up again and practice resumed, the team sniggered occasionally.

Eren was speechless for a second, before his head went back to the scrimmage coming up. Maybe he had passed whatever test that had been.

The only other possible option was Levi being embarrassed with himself or pissed at Eren for taking the bait. The alpha would have every right to be pissed at Eren, if not for his reaction to Jean’s imitation, than for Eren’s lame results during practice. He was not the only omega on the team, but all others were bonded to a mate, and therefore rather competed with their significant alpha, whether or not he was on the same team,  to keep up in speed and power than comparing themselves to each other, as Eren did. It wasn’t a big secret that bonded mates were better adjusted to their surroundings and that their constantly pushing each other, was a benefit for every team. The National Hockey League was aware of it since ever and it was one of many reasons why bonded players were preferred for every team's roster.

 

Soaking in sweat the omega struggled out of his gear afterwards, his legs wobbly as they finally were allowed off the cool down bikes and ushered over to the shower. It was time for him to face the music and see Doctor Zoe again for his test results. His hands kept trembling as he washed his hair, dried off and struggled into his regular clothes.

Suddenly he was grateful he didn’t had to wear a game day suit, forced to fiddle with the buttons of his button down, or the knot of his tie, since it was just practice. The constant chatter, after the media scrum left with their soundbites, was no help. Eren couldn’t even remember his answers anymore, left alone what they had been asking him just minutes ago. His focus was far away, up the hallway in front of the office worrying, what would the doctor had to say?

Eren shouldered his duffle, as the first arrangements for lunch were done, Reiner went with Bertolt on a candle light dinner from all he had heard. At least it sounded a lot like hand holding, softly spoken I love you’s and please let’s go and fuck later on or I’m going to bend you right over the table in front of everyone, to eat you out for dessert.

He wasn’t very keen on the details. Armin was planning to surprise a guy who’s name was Dietrich, obviously sitting out practice and Armin Arlert’s mate, if Eren recalled correctly, from the team bonding dinner that they had the night before.

 

To be honest his memories about that first dinner get together were kind of hazy, since he took off, as fast as it was okay to leave and proceeded to get drunk of his ass in the hotel afterwards. Fuck the bill, he had a three year contract, he could handle it for once. At that moment he only wanted to forget about it, Ackermans intense gaze on him all throughout. His emotions threatening to overwhelm him at any second. Chatter had been more of a white noise, than anything else and Eren had nodded along, as he hoped was acceptable, not really doing much of the talking himself, with Levi serving as his main distraction from simple things, like breathing and reminding himself, when to swallow a fork down, without looking picky about the food.

 

He sneaked out of the locker room before anyone had a chance to invite him along for any lunch dates. Horseface would probably have been the lucky one to do just that and Eren really liked Marco genuinely, but hanging around the couple all the time, was too much for him anyway. He felt like the third wheel between all his bonded teammates.

Too much love in the air for Eren’s liking. Too much contact and touching and insider jokes Eren didn’t get.

Their finnish goaltender Lagnar was on the phone in the hallway as Eren came out of the locker room, he was obviously making arrangements for a video game evening with someone, Eren wasn’t sure who it was. The goalie was not even talking in English, so how was he supposed to know anyway. It sounded like gibberish to him.  He only grabbed the word video and Xbox and made up the rest of the conclusion himself. It would be close enough for sure.

Of course team bonding was a very important matter, but not on his mind for the time being at least.

Eren made his way down the already familiar feeling hallway, stomach turning and twisting around painfully. What verdict was awaiting him?

 

He knocked and entered, tried to keep his face as closed off as possible but friendly.

“Hi Doc, I’m back.”

“Hi Eren, take a seat. I got your results in already.” Hanji chirped.

“Nice. So what do we do? Where do we go from here?”

“Well your suppressant levels are indeed too low and we can try it with an additional shot. But let me be honest with you.” the beta sighed.

“DO IT! NOW!” Eren interrupted doctor Zoe, already pushing his pants down, to expose the skin on his thigh for the injection.

“But still, it can be that...” she went on to explain.

“I don’t fucking care, okay! DO IT!” Eren demanded irritated, anger filling his words. He gritted his teeth, as the doctor rolled over to a cabinet that held the necessary equipment she would need and pulled on her gloves, before setting up the shot, adjusting a new sterile needle to it, rolling over to Eren on the examination table to inject the suppressant. The sting, made Eren’s nerves sing, the muscle tensing up on the intrusion and his head feeling a little fuzzy, but it was well known to him, nothing strange about it. He always got these side effects.

“You know that you are not allowed to take the ice at the next game now. I will tell coach Pixis,  that you have to sit out.” Doc Zoe reminded him.

“Yes I know. Fucking sidelined as always.” the omega spat.

“I will check back with you in a week, if anything comes up, feels different or something happens, stronger side effects or anything, don’t hesitate to call or get straight back here. Are we clear?”

“Yes doctor. It’s just a preseason game.” Eren grumbled.

“And no driving Yeager!”

“Fucking yes and fucking okay. Gosh I’m not a stupid fucking retard!” Eren exploded, pulling his jeans back on so fast he could feel the muscle protesting about the fast movements, as it knocked on the door. His back was turned to the door, as he was fumbling with the zipper of his jeans and his shaking hands, which tingled a little bit. Coordinating things was already hard. He could hear the door open, before doctor Zoe had even answered or allowed whoever was on the other side of it entry.

“Doc? Do you have a sec?” Levi’s voice was rumbling like gravel, sounding a little tired even to Eren’s ears.

“Hang on for a moment and let me finish first.” the doctor said, waving for Levi to wait outside and preventing him from further stepping into the office. Eren straightened up with effort, gritting his teeth against the pain in his sore muscles, sticking his hands in his pants pockets to hide the fact they were shaking pretty bad, as he stalked over to pull the door open fully, revealing himself to Levi in the process.

“Go ahead doc, we are done.” Eren said firmly, too aware of Levi’s questioning gaze, who looked at him and then back at doctor Zoe, to watch  her put the needle and empty phial away. Eren was sure Levi was doing the math in his head and calculating the facts quickly, to make sense of the scene presented to him.

“I can give you a ride if you want.” Levi offered.

“Ride your fucking self Ack!” Eren snarled in an imitation of Jean’s usual  butchering of Levi’s last name, before pressing his way past the captain and out the door.

“Fucking Ackerman, should fucking go and fuck himself!” Eren mumbled as he stalked down the hallway a fast as he could.


	7. Debut

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone who had added Kudo’s and comments to my fic so far. Reading about your observations, wishes and theories is something I really enjoy. Have fun with this little update. Uhm of course angst, just in case we haven't tagged that yet. There is so much angst in it. I will answer all your comments sunday evening or so, because I'm away for the weekend, but I will get back to you. I promise.

Eren asked the lady at the front desk to call him a cab, since he and Levi were the only players left, according to the parking lot, where the other alpha’s Mercedes was parked, next to some other front office peoples expensive vehicles.

The other cars of his teammates, that he knew of, were gone already.

He just wanted to get home to his hotel room and a ride in the EL would take him too long, left alone all the scents around him would drive him up the wall even more, considering how riled up he was.

He could already feel his head ache spreading into a major fuck ass migraine.

Eren took his seat, as the driver pulled up and told him the address of his hotel, praying they wouldn’t get stuck in the afternoon mess, that was Chicago’s traffic, as Ackerman left the building, duffle swung over his shoulder.

He rolled his eyes into the cabbies direction, as he walked over to his own car, opening the trunk and throwing his belongings in there, watching Eren leave, his head leaning against the window in the back, brown strands of hair pressed flat against it, eyes closed, denying Levi the look of crystal teal  sapphires.

Why was the omega being such a stubborn little fucker? Why didn’t he see, that Levi was trying really hard. He only wanted to help, be a friend to him, help him adjust and be comfortable around the team. Everything else on his mind was not the priority right now.

Okay, maybe a little bit, if he was honest with himself, but his instincts were not kicking in full force, since his suppressants were working just fine, in contrast to those Eren was put on.

Of course he had bugged the doctor about Yeager, using his new position as a captain to get the informations he wanted and also the fact, that Yeager refused to listen to Hanji telling him about the side effects, was calling for Levi to take action.

It was his duty as a captain to watch out for his team, he excused his curiosity with it just fine.

Levi would drop by the brat’s hotel later, just to make sure his right winger would be okay, of course! Who was he even trying to convince? Not himself obviously, no matter how he justified his decisions.

Eren stumbled through the lobby with a white, hot throbbing in his head, that made his eyes water from the intensive pain, getting his keys from the lady at the reception and took the elevator up to his floor. He needed a shower again, already drenched in sweat for no reason and he needed his bed. Any flat surface would do it for him right now, he was tired out.

The first thing he did after getting inside, was drawing the blinds tight shut and doing just that.

The water was burning hot on his back. Every sensation seemed to be doubled up in its intensity, like a million tiny needles were stabbing into his skin all at once. Sounds too loud, light too bright, touch to his skin too sensitive. He couldn’t really scrub himself down, the scented soap burning in his nostrils, even if he did not use it. The smell from the bottle itself was worse enough. Eren was out of the shower five minutes later. The towel felt raw on his skin, almost to the point where it hurt to dry himself off and Eren desperately wanted to curl up in a ball.

The side effects were significantly bigger, than what he was used to. Those were some fucking big ass kicking side effects, if he was honest, flopping onto the bed and pulling the scratchy cotton comforter up, he was close to crying.

Fuck this shit! Fuck being an omega! He hated life right now.

It would pass eventually, it always did. He texted his billet mom a couple of lines, telling her, he got more hormones cruising through his system and that of course everything was going to right itself. He wanted to be positive for Nanaba’s sake, even if he didn’t feel like it.

He also shot a quick: “I love you.” to his sister Faye, hoping she would pass it on.

Exhausted, itchy and burning too hot, he closed his eyes and dropped the device on the bedside table. He would sleep it off, like he always did. He surrendered to the pull of darkness and drifted off into an uneasy sleep. Eyes moving restlessly behind his closed eyelids as he dreamed.

Eren woke up after what only felt like a moment later, confused and feverish, the nightmare still evident in his bones, body trembling. He almost felt as bad as when he first presented his dynamic.

Those are just the side effects of the suppressants, he lied to himself.

“God.” he moaned into the pillow, clenching the material between his rigid fingers. He wished his mom would be with him, or Nanaba or his billet dad. He was yearning for a familiar face. Faye  would be just fine too, just anyone, to help him through it.

“You need to drink something Eren, otherwise you will dehydrate.” A soft voice said and the scent of maple leafs soothed him further, a tiny comfort. It was a calming smell, settling on his anxious mind like a fluffy blanket. It seemed familiar as well, but he couldn’t place it. Couldn’t recall the name or face that scent belonged to. Eren moaned a little in protest, bringing his left hand up to his eyes, as he rolled onto his side blinking into the darkness. He couldn’t see for shit, even if he tried.

“What the fuck! Who the fuck are you?” he mumbled sleepily and disorientated.

He got no answer, but the voice that had woken him seemed familiar. A cup of something, that turned out to be water as it hit his throat, was pressed into his hand and he brought it up to his lips, sipping cautiously. His throat was dry like a desert and it felt raw. His voice would sound, as if he had deepthroated dick for a week straight.

“Fucking shit!” Eren rasped under his breath. He wanted to scratch himself raw, to stop the itchy feeling of his skin, that didn’t seem to fit right. The tingling and piercing sensations were too intense. At least he was not hard in his boxers. Not that he never got it up before, but it would be kind of embarrassing to do so, with someone in the room, no matter how good that person smelled. It almost made Eren’s mouth water.

“It’s going to be okay, eventually. Lay back down.” The soft voice told him, tucking the comforter back around him.

Eren squirmed underneath it and a needy whine escaped his throat. The bleached material was assaulting his nose and his skin, he wanted something else, even a sweat drenched jersey would be more of a comfort right now. He didn’t allow himself the thought of another body pressed up against him. Not with this stranger in the room and an unexpected boner really shouldn’t come on top of his problems.

But Eren couldn’t help himself and kept squirming, low embarrassing sounds of discomfort falling from his lips, that felt slightly swollen, until he felt the mattress give way to an additional weight and a body settling in next to him. He could feel the soft fabric of a Henley pressing into his back, the additional scratch of cotton sweatpants next to his bare legs as the person stretched out next to him and soft fingertips patting his neck and still damp hair that was starting to curl a little, gently running soothing circles on his scalp. Eren sighed happily, pressing back into whoever it was shamelessly and allowed himself to float on the smell surrounding him. Putting his mind at ease and making everything else a little bit more bearable, even though the need to just “need” inside him increased by an alarming rate. He was still too hazy, too lulled into comfort, to actually question the actual appearance of some stranger in his room.

That little piece of silence and the firm regular motion of the hand in his hair almost managed to lull him back to sleep.

“You like it? Feeling better now brat?” the voice asked and a sudden rush of ice shot through his veins and forced Eren back into full consciousness, as if he had been struck across the head with a hammer.

He scrambled off the bed, tumbling to the floor still wrapped in the cheap as fuck comforter pooling around his waist, while the adrenalin started to fade slowly, leaving him shaking with shock, eyes wide open in the darkness.

That certainly must be one vivid nightmare!

“L… Le... Lee...Levi… ACK...ACKERMAN!” Eren croaked accusingly, his own voice ringing in his ears.

“Eren!” Levi deadpanned.

“What the fuck! How? Why?” Eren was aware, he was not making any sense to the alpha right now, mumbling and slurring his words together.

“Shut up and get back into bed.” Levi grumbled in his deadly captain voice, patting the mattress next to him. Acting casual, as if it would be totally normal to be in Eren’s bed, to hold him, pet him.

“F… F… FUCK YOU! Get the fuck out of my bed, dude!” Eren screeched, still sitting on the uncomfortable carpet that covered the entire hotel room floor.

He could hear fabric rustling, assumed that Ackerman was sitting up, probably having this very judgemental look on his face. The one he used on the ice, if someone just messed up big time.

“Okay Yeager, stop being fucking ridiculous! I just wanted to help.”

“Help yourself!” Eren protested weakly, suffering with another heatwave and a rush of dizziness.

“Get into bed!” Levi ordered, all alpha like, not taking any more protest for an answer, considering the fact, that at least he was in on what would await Eren for the next hours.

“No! you have to… you have nothing… can’t… you... Oh my god!” Eren stopped mid sentence, trying to remember on which end of the hotel room the door to the ensuite was, as the nausea hit him hard. His stomach in knots and turning painfully.

“Eren? What’s wrong?” He could hear Levi’s feet settling on the floor, getting up from the bed, voice calm and even, not mad at all that Eren refused to sub for him. Eren tried to get to his feet, pressing his hand in front of his lips while bile filled his mouth, choking him.

Levi turned on the bedside lamp, as he rushed over to the smaller omega.

“Come here.” Levi cooed, as he helped Eren to his feet, leading him on into the bathroom, just in time for the inevitable rush of puke, breaking past the barrier of Yeager’s hand and his self control.

Levi hold onto the omega, angling his face away in time, so he could actually hit the toilet bowl instead of the floor, or throw up on himself, which was a close matter of seconds.  Even if Levi wanted to recoil from the stench of vomit in the air, that soon filled the bathroom, he knew that he had to stand up right now, as Eren shakingly emptied his stomach again. Nausea was after all one of the most common side effects of the suppressants and to be expected, given the circumstances. Eren couldn't even protest against Levi's hands on him, manhandling him. He was already too far gone for the moment to register his presence, one arm curled around Eren’s waist, hand resting on his hip protectively, the other in his neck applying just a bit pressure with his fingertips, circling the sensitive skin to keep Eren from falling deeper into the subspace.

The omega whined pitifully in between sobs and gagging, dry heaves shaking him, when he wasn’t retching. Levi patted his shoulder, crouched behind Eren for support, the omega almost sitting on Levi’s lap, when his knees had given out and it was just Levi’s arms holding him up and steady. He seemed to have forgotten, who Levi was, or simply couldn’t care anymore about it, blindly trusting the alpha when he so obviously needed someone to hold onto. An alpha to guide him, take care of him.

Ackerman was babbling soothingly in French to him, like he had, when he had watched Eren sleep restlessly, tossing and turning around, earlier on.

It hadn’t been a hardship to get keys to Eren's room, thanks to the Hawks front office they knew all the faces of the franchise and gave into Ackerman’s request fast and without trouble. Thinking further about it, it might even have been too easy. But it was nothing Levi had time to concentrate on. Eren was his one and only priority right now.

“Jesus!” Levi muttered, his knees were killing him from sitting on the hard tiled floor with Eren, but there was no way in hell he would get up. Just to be honest, he hadn’t been expecting it to be this bad, when doctor Zoe  told him about, what could possibly happen to Yeager, after receiving such a borderlining high dosage in such a short period of time.

“She most of all wasn’t joking.” Levi muttered under his breath, when Eren puked again.

Eren was trembling badly, when Levi dared to sit him up and run him a bath, after what felt like hours.

“You think you’re done puking your guts up for now?” the raven haired man asked calmly, but Eren just made a heart breaking helpless sound, head lolling to the side tiredly.

Levi grabbed for the glass of water on the sink, he had filled and placed there earlier, forcing another full glas down the poor omega’s throat. Eren spluttered and just made those needy sounds in the back of his throat, all lax in Levi’s arms.

It felt like battling his younger sister, reminded him of how he always took care of little Mikasa when Kuchel and Kenny had adult things to do. The odd sensation soon passed and was covered by his alpha instincts, making Levi work on autopilot.

There was an omega that needed to be taken care of in his arms.

He felt really sad for Eren all of a sudden, as he set him into the bathtub, letting him rest there for some moments, sweat glistening all over the rosy heated skin, propped up by Levi’s arm, before he started to wash him down quickly with a soft sponge, careful not to irritate his skin further.

What if Eren would have been alone?

What if some other alpha would have taken advantage of him?

What if the side effects would have hit him, before he got to his hotel or even left the rink?

In the locker room, there would have been the guys, Eren would have been safe with any of them, even though bonded alpha’s weren’t keen to have another omega needing their attention.

It could actually cause distress for their omega mate or even cause fights and anger. But they were a team, they would have been fine.

Eren was in no position to defend himself right now.

Just the imagination of someone else at Yeager’s side right now, touching him, maybe even using him without his consent, was enough to make Levi growl possessively.

HE’S MINE!

MINE!

NO ONE ELSE'S!

Terrified that he was losing against his own instincts, Levi stomped down that trail of thought immediately. It was not his place to claim Eren against his will. He wouldn’t be one of those assholes taking advantage of an omega in need and forcing them into a bond by sheer willpower. Using their sub nature for his own benefits, like it was common in other parts of the world like Russia for example.

Levi wouldn’t be one of those disgusting individuals.

Eren’s head was resting on Levi’s shoulder, as he ran his hand down the other omega’s torso, just applying the tiniest amount of pressure on the soap soaked sponge. Eren hummed in the back of his throat, curling in on himself a little clinging tighter to Levi.

“It’s okay Yeager. You’ll be fine.” Levi mumbled, lifting him out of the water and doing his best to dry Eren of as careful as he could, before bundling him back up in bed and in his arms. Eren was almost fast asleep by then and Levi allowed himself to rest too, setting his alarm for 2 hours, before the entire ordeal would probably start all over again.

By the early morning hours the third round of never ending heavy nausea had passed and the whimpering including numerous outright heartbreakingly crying fits later, compared with nonsense mumbling into the crook of Levi’s neck from Eren’s side, Levi could finally see the suppressants side effects dying down in their intensity.

He didn’t even dare to imagine what it must be like, if Eren would ever go into real heat, instead of having medication starving it of for him. What it must have been like for his parents to deal with him on the day Eren presented? - Okay, Levi hadn’t been eavesdropping on the doctor's office - he so had!

And if what he was witnessing, was just the first stage of it, which didn’t even include nor called for any sexual attention from an alpha, or benefits on his behalf. He didn’t want to imagine what a full broken heat would be like for Eren and the alpha, he would choose to spend it with.

HE WILL SPEND IT WITH ME!

NO ONE ELSE!

Levi shuddered with the force of his instincts, a cold shiver passing down his spine, settling at the base to spread down to his toes.

Now that Yeager seemed settled enough for the next hours at least, Levi should really leave. He could still come back tomorrow, just to make sure. Just for a quick check up really - it was his duty as the captain.

Maybe Eren wouldn’t even remember Levi being here in the first place.

Slowly and carefully he removed Eren’s arms from his torso, where the little brown haired guy had curled himself up against Levi and settled his head on the soft pillow. When Levi had moved Eren’s head from his chest to one of the comforting pillows, he had been leaning against for the past hours, his  omega stirred for a moment but didn’t wake up. He sniffled and scrunched his nose up before burying it right back, deep into the fabric, that was drenched with the alpha's scent, sighing in content.

Of course Levi knew Eren wasn’t really his to begin with, he had no right to claim him, but he couldn’t fight the thoughts any longer. He really had to get out of the room for a while, before he would go crazy by the scent Eren put out, that was so appealing to him. It made him worry his lips almost bloody, so hard he was biting on them to keep himself in check.

Levi made sure Eren was probably covered by the blanket, before leaving the omega another glass of water on the bedside table and put the “Please do not disturb” sign up on the handle when he left.

He had left a note next to Yeager’s cellphone, to make sure Eren didn’t put it off as a very long lasting nightmare, an alert that Levi had indeed been there. Explaining to his right winger, that nothing had happened to him meanwhile and that he could call him to make sure and that Levi would check back on him later anyway - just because Levi is just an asshole like that. He could totally pull that one off as the team captain

Well apart from the fact, that Eren would indeed call him the next day after morning practice, nothing went as Ackerman thought it would. Eren thanked Levi politely and stiff, clipped words that still slurred into each other slightly and having only hazy memories about the last 18h at best. He would more than drive his point home by furiously telling Levi to fuck off and leave him to himself.

“I’m a fucking adult Ackerman! I can totally look after my own fucking ass. Did you fucking get it!” Eren had huffed before hanging up on him, leaving Levi sitting in his car in the parking lot of the United Center, with a frown and guilty expression on his face, still staring at his phone in shock.

Levi did get it, more or less. To say he was furious and disappointed would be an underrating. The underestimation of the fucking century. A part of him was running out of patience and literally yearned to put Eren in his place, put him on his knees, force him to obey. It may or may not include choking him on his cock, while doing just that. Eren had no manners at all, how to respect an alpha.

He didn’t even try to be nice to him.

Levi didn’t allow himself to think that far though.  He swallowed the bitter pill of Eren’s rejection and tried to distract himself by inviting Armin, with his mate Ian, as well as Reiner and Bertolt over for some Mario Kart. Yeah Mario Kart was a great idea, it would help him wind down.

Maybe it was the better decision to stay away from Eren for now. For his own fucking sanity. But he still missed the brunette and his thoughts kept trailing back to what Eren was up to by now. If he was feeling better?

Well, the way he grumbled at him over the phone, was making it sound like it at least. But the urge to go and see it for himself, with his own two fucking eyes, sneaking back into the hotel room, like he did the first time, never really went away, it lingered deep down in Levi’s gut. It was something that couldn’t even be compensated, by yelling at Armin for cheating and throwing a banana into Levi’s racing line, five seconds before he would have crossed the finish line as first and therefore would have won the game.

“ARLERT! You cheating asshole! I would have totally crashed you!” Levi argued.

“Keep calm Laser!” Armin laughed. “Maybe you should release some tension! It would help you feel better.” he had teased before hiding behind Ian Dietrich and stealing a kiss from him, as they started the next Mario Kart tournament.

Eren made his official NHL game debut on October 4th, 2007 against the Minnesota Wild, in Saint Paul on an away game, that had him sleeping throughout most of the one and a half hour lasting flight, before checking into the only single room they had. Coach had signed him into it, making Ackerman room with Reiner and Bertolt and he didn’t look too confident about it.

His pre-game nap was doomed, but Eren was still so tired and jittery, he didn’t give two shits. He was glad the doctor had cleared him for games after all. He had been going up the wall of his hotel by the second day and deliberately missed out on watching the pregame from the press box. He actually just slept through it.

But still suffering from the lingering after effects of the additional shoot of suppressants, it wasn’t his best shift on the ice. Dot Pixis had put him on the first line with Ackerman. Eren had a hard time to concentrate on what the fuck he was doing. Their shots were connecting okay, but other then that the chemistry was strained.

Eren had avoided talking to the captain since that morning on the phone. A cold shudder was still running down his spine at the thought of waking up next to Levi’s hand written get well note. Filled with neat Canadian handwriting and it actually caused emotional chaos in him like Levi’s deadpanned voice couldn’t do.

It scared him, to not know what exactly had happened, since he had left the rink and knowing, that somehow Ackerman had ended up in his hotel room, was terrifying.

He had an unbonded alpha in his room, while he was totally out of it, that equaled actually signing a suicide contract. What the hell had he even been thinking?

Or worse what if they did… what if Levi kind of used him? He still had his boxers on, but that hadn’t been much of a difference. Ackerman said, they didn’t do the deed, but he could be lying, couldn’t he? Eren had groaned in frustration and had tried his hardest to shut down the thoughts. He was overthinking this entire situation, he was almost crying just from thinking all these thoughts.

But the scent in the pillow had helped him piece himself together.

Ackerman’s scent - who else could it have been -  but still Eren refused to acknowledge that tiny bit of information. That it had been Levi giving him the towel in the gym, that it was Levi, who stayed with him the night before.

But he couldn’t lie about the comfort the maple scent was actually giving him. He could only betray himself to a certain amount and Eren hated himself for giving into it, as he had hugged the used pillow closer.

Nevertheless he was close to freak out, but didn’t, even though it was very tempting to text his sister Faye, about how he might have had sex with his team captain and couldn’t remember.

He would never hear the end of it, if he told her, left alone, that he didn’t know, if it was even true. Levi Ackerman had vowed, he had kept his dick to himself.

But how much was another alpha’s word worth it?

His dad had told him he loved him always and forever too and where was he now? Nowhere to be seen, obviously.

“Pass the fucking puck Yeager!” Levi shouted at him more than once across the ice during their shifts in Saint Paul, placing himself next to Eren on the bench, yelling in his ear angrily. Even the commentators could tell and didn’t hide their sarcastic comments, neither did their opponents, who had a fest of whispering into Eren’s ear, when they checked him, making sure the referees wouldn’t pick up on it.

Levi did though, but didn’t say anything. He did skate over to the referees, but Eren was too busy getting up from the ice, trying to hide the fatigue that was burning inside of him, to notice the exchanged words or if any penalties followed them.

The chirps on ice were so harsh, nothing compared to the insults thrown around in Juniors or midget leagues.

By the end of the second intermission Eren felt like breaking apart. He desperately wanted to cry, curl up somewhere hidden and curse the entire world.

Coach Dot Pixis - a beta, had stomped them into the ground, pacing the locker room as he went on, about how they should play the fucking game they had lined out before and how everybody had to sit through a triple video conference to analyze all the fuck ups the next morning, if they didn’t pull their shit together.

Minnesota was leading by one goal and there was just one third left to go into overtime and fight for a win. In the end, they lost zero to one. First game of the season and they lost it.

They fucking lost!

If Eren would have played better?

If he would have passed the puck more often than not?

If he wouldn’t have let those fuckers intimidate him on the ice?

Maybe, they would have managed to pull it into overtime.

The plane ride back to Chicago was lulled into such an eerie silence, neither able to say a word and Eren was glad that Levi was sitting at the other end of the aisle and the seat next to him was free. He could see the captain next to Armin Arlert,  who was snuggled into Ian Dietrich as his eyes swept the plane. He realized most of the bonded pairs were seeking comfort in each other and Jean was texting his husband furiously, obviously, no question it was Marco on the other end of the line.

Eren just wanted to be left alone and he was left alone, thankfully. So he had enough time to go over all the plays from the game. If he was using it to analyze his own faults and realize, how much he fucked up, no one would ever know. The others were probably doing the exact same thing. Eren just wasn’t sure, if he wouldn’t actually snap at someone by accident, if someone dared to talk to him. His brain was going a mile a minute and it didn’t really lift his spirits at all.

Levi’s gaze was gliding over him every other moment or so, but Eren was too absorbed in himself to really notice, how Levi’s nostrils flared and a grim line replaced his small smile. Yeager was upset again, he could smell it and he didn’t liked it one bit, but his hands were bound and there was nothing he could do.

When they finally taxied down to their parking position at Chicago O’Hare, Eren was the first off the plane, collected his suitcase, as fast as he could bring his body to actually move forward and dropped off into his hotel.

He had an appointment with an estate agent later on and the promised video review was coming up for the following morning. By the end of the day he was dead on his feet and only wanted to sleep.


	8. The bridges I built

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah it's been like 4 days and you are in for a treat. I'm working on Chapter 13 atm so I thought I could post some more. BTW let me know in the comments, if you want any more taggs to be added, or the other relationships added. On another note excuse my terrible french, it’s been years since I learned it in school and Google translate was not very helpful. All faults are my own. (Canadian French is a total different level altogether) But I had some lovely cosplayers check up on major issues so it should be fine. (Special thanks to @angry_jaeger and @accado_cosplay at this point.) Translations are provided in the End Notes

Eren had his first assist and first shootout goal, a game-winner, two days later against Connie Springer of the Detroit Red Wings, on home ice at the United Center. The day he would remember as their first victory of the season. Eren had scored the only goal in the shootout off Connie Springer, giving the Blackhawks a 4-3 win after they trailed 3-1 entering the third period. The goal horn was blasting, the fans on their feet, screaming and pounding their hands against the glass. The handle on his stick loosened and the rink barrier stopped his momentum of swing to the side of the net as he crashed into it. Eren realised what just happened.

He had scored.

He had scored his first NHL goal and assisted Ackerman on another one, earlier on. He could still see himself flying down center ice with the puck, concentrated on the netminder, determined to nail it in there, shifting from backhand to forehand, hinting on the right side to confuse him. He beat Springer with a backhand shot on the glove side in the end and before he knew it, his teammates were over the boards crashing into him, pressing Eren up against the boards screaming in his ear.

“You did it!” Bertolt yelled, tugging at his jersey.

“You fucking did it Yeager!” Horseface screamed, patting Eren’s helmet, before they skated over to the bench to fist bump the guys, who were still sitting, except for Ackerman standing at the door, the first to slap Eren on the back, as he struggled off the ice. The scent of maple leafs making his head swim for a second with a longing, he quickly tried to stomp out.

  


The post game media scrum was almost blowing him of his socks. He hadn’t even had time to take a shower, still sweating and overheated, he answered question after question and so did anyone else in the locker room. Eren could feel Levi’s gaze on him, as if the captain was trying to make sure Eren was still there, still okay.

  


“Yes, we were very lucky Yeager scored the game winning goal. He’s doing so good. It’s great to have him on our team and if he keeps up that sick backhand, he’s in for sure, aiming to get the Calder trophy.” Levi just told one of the reporters, lifting his cap a little to underline his statement. He said it loud enough for Eren to catch it, who sat a few stalls down from him. Actually Levias hoping the brat would hear it.

  


Eren did and blushed an alarming shade of red, wishing for it all to be over. He was so done with the media today, they were like bloodhounds chasing after every sigh and every emotion, just to edit it into his final soundbite. Eren was told not to read his own press, but he did it anyway and they never disappointed him. No matter in what great detail they talked about his hockey skills, his dynamic and assumptions, how it did infect his hockey and his relationship to the team, with captain Ackerman in particular, were overcasting everything. As much as it hurt him sometimes, it also drove him to do even better, to score even more, to show them all what he was made off and to show them all off as an omega on top of that.

His determination in going after the net never faltered.

  


As the reporters finally cleared out Eren could snuck into the showers and wash of the sweat and filth from the game they just won. The heat was starting to become a real problem, he felt constantly on fire and couldn’t take enough showers during the day, something he tried to hide as best as possible. He didn’t really pity the poor soul who had to wash their used jerseys.

  


He had chosen the shower head furthest away from the door, but since this wasn’t home, nor did he fancy to run into Ackerman, who would most likely be waiting up for him at worst, he hurried through his routine. It was no help, that he scrubbed himself down three times in a row, he remained sticky and on the uncomfortable side of too hot, but it wasn’t important. Nothing he would bother the doctor with, no matter how much she had insisted to know if anything occurred, and there was happening a hell of a lot!

Rushes of sickness or dizzy spells, unexpected boners he had to hide in his game day suits as best as he could, overwhelming scents driving him crazy and making him avoid public eye. Crying fits he couldn’t control, looks that lingered, because he couldn’t drag his eyes away from Levi Ackerman, nightmares,  all consuming thoughts that distracted him and the worst: the always present tiredness and fatigue.

He was so screwed.

  


The estate agent, he had seen the other day, was already negotiating terms with Shadis and Eren was so thankful, that his agent cleared it all up for him. Maybe he could soon call something home. The apartment they had shown him, was pretty picky but spectacular and Eren wasn’t sure, if he could afford it, but Shadis would work something out and he could still go and see his billet parents during the summer. He hadn’t even been looking for something out of the ordinary, he just wanted something closer to the rink and something that wasn’t a hotel room and didn’t require rooming with one of his teammates.

Jean already had adopted him for all he knew, but there was no way in hell he would stay with the Kirschtein’s or with Langnar, who was dating a girl he called Ille, Ilaa or whatever. Eren wasn’t sure, it sounded like the name had a couple of I’s and L’s in it and his last name was just as weird. He gave up wondering anyway, Finnish was such a strange language, for all he cared Langnar could have been dating a polar bear and no one would have been any the wiser. But he couldn’t actually say mean things about the other omega. Langnar was always distant with everybody and looking out for everyone at the same time. He had never been anything else but polite with Eren but still rooming with Langnar sounded more than boring. He probably was one of those guys that went to bed at 8 p.m every other day, that wasn't a game day and would scold Eren in putting the light out, probably an early riser as well, getting up at the ass crack of dawn.

Hell no way!

Of course, there still was one worse possibility than anything he could have come up so far and management even tried to suggest it to him. It had Eren calling his agent straight away, just to be on the safe side.

He would rather die than room with ACKERMAN!

Of all people Laser, Levi fucking Ackerman.

The devil himself must be thinking Eren was a sinner.

Getting along with the team and everything aside, he wouldn't let the Hawks front office force him into bonding with his alpha Canadian dream boy captain. For no money in the world!

Of course it would have been easier if they would have simply told him to do just that, it would have secured Eren’s contract further, because there was a rule brought up by the NHL, to not trade a player, if he was bonded within the team, exceptions were only made if the player actually wished to be traded or his mate requested it, given full consent of his significant other.

Eren doubted that there was so much consent involved for real. If your alpha was a control freaking asshole, he could simply bully you into giving in. Submitting was one of the omega's strongest streaks. Hopefully or thankfully, god had forgotten to install this specific trade into Eren, for all he knew. Or at least his will was strong enough to not give into the urge, even though Levi was making it particularly hard for him. Pushing boundaries to the absolute limit he was able to take.

He would rather live in Nile Dawk’s basement than with Levi. Period.

Dawk had even offered, but Eren knew better than that. Thank you very much, but no thanks.

On October 19, 2007, Eren scored his first NHL regulation time goal on Dhalis Zachary of the Colorado Avalanche on home ice. Jean Kirschtein had given him the perfect assist, as they both speeded down the ice and Eren had put it in, catching the pass on his blade and forced it past the goalie in the top shelf.

He was on fire after the estate agent rang him up, after morning practice. He got a nice apartment at Trost Towers, he could actually move in tonight, if he fancied to and life just about felt great, Reiner and Bertolt had already volunteered to help him move his tiny two suitcases and a duffle, just to have a reason to gawk of course, curious as they all were.

Sticking their noses all up Eren's shit and he was too weak to object. He needed to hand the spare key to someone anyway and both of those idiots were living close to Eren’s new condo. So he had to suck it up and give in for a good cause in the end.

He was not needing a hand, but it was nice to have a beer on that ratty couch they picked up at IKEA, while both of them complained that Eren went for the ugliest thing on display and the most worn down as well.

“Seriously Yeager, you can do so much better than this!” Bertolt had whined.

“Yeager you can afford more than this ratty piece of shit, come on!” Reiner had huffed.

“Fuck you! Both of you! This is some nice shit right there!” Eren had smiled and brought the couch anyway, even going as far as letting his teammates carry it into the car and up into the elevator back in Trost Towers and into his condo. Because Eren was just an asshole like this and he loved that couch already, even though he only owned it for a total of 30 minutes or so.

Battling the two afterwards on the Xbox, all three hockey players blissed out on it, didn’t raise any complains, so Bertolt and Reiner could go and fuck themselves, the couch couldn’t be that bad then. Eren pressed in the middle a little tightly, as they knocked into each other teasingly with their elbows, making goofy noises and dumb commentaries along the way.

“Yeager, you suck so much at Call of Duty and you know it!” Bertolt laughed.

“You suck dick and you know it!” Eren laughed, getting a growl from Reiner who laughed nevertheless.

“I suck, dude but not for free.” Bertolt cackled.

“Hold your horses Yeager. Get your own toys to play with.” Reiner huffed, killing Eren’s character on the screen with a snip of his fingers, while pinching his mates thigh playfully for the dirty comment he’d just made.

“You cheated!” Eren exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

“Your mom cheated, Yeager.” Reiner joked, sending a jolt of pain through Eren’s chest, as the words hit closer to home than he wanted them to.

“He would never!” Bertolt shouted, looking flustered and a little angry as well on his mates behalf.

“Calm the fuck down! Both of you! It’s just a game. Everyone’s mom is fucking ace and mom jokes are lame as fuck anyway.” Reiner said with all the force of an alpha he could muster, they had obviously crossed a line with those mom jokes, because Yeager’s scent spiked into something ugly. Something that actually upset the alpha and made Bertolt’s nose scrunch up, without any further comment on the issue itself.

They lapsed into silence for another round before Bertolt decided it was better to go home.

He had clung to Reiner after the short argument, purring a little to ease the tension, but he was an omega and he had needs, he nibbled at Reiner’s neck to get him with the program.

Also Eren had been gone for almost 30 minutes, after he had been shot yet again, no bathroom break took that long, so it was better to get a move on.

“Yeager, in case you decided to drown in there, we’re heading out kiddo. Also your pizza is getting cold!” Bertolt yelled, when they were in the hallway.

“Let the kid wank quietly.” Reiner had joked, before saying more loudly.

“See you at practice tomorrow morning. Hang in there kiddo.”

“Fuck off, both of you!” Eren croaked from the bathroom, the wood muffling the sound, not making it obvious to his guests, that he had been crying, overwhelmed by his own emotions.

Reminders of his mom were something he couldn’t cope with, not yet anyway. The pain was still too raw, no matter how often Faye texted him saying: “Mom loves you too.”

He wanted to believe it, he desperately wanted to, but he didn’t know how. All those white lies. Simple lines in a mail, in a text message, she would always add it. Maybe it was pity, maybe she just wanted him to believe that his mom missed him as much as he missed her.

If Carla did, why did she not call him, or text, or said he could come home?

Eren was not asking for forever, he just had gotten this new place in Chicago, he was not asking for his room back even. But a visit, any sign, even if it were just 2 hours tops, he would jump on the plane straight ahead.

When Eren heard the front door of the apartment click close behind both of his new teammates, he released a breath he wasn’t aware he had been holding in, as the purr forced its way out of his throat, loud and clear, echoing off the tiles around him.

He hugged his legs closer, resting his head on his knees, ignoring the flashing of incoming messages on his cellphone, that lay abandoned on the floor next to him, from when he had shot shit with Faye to distract himself, in an attempt to get a handle on the hurt, that raged inside his chest, making it harder to breathe with every passing minute.

He missed the scent of maple leafs that got him to let go and relax. That scent that felt a bit like home, even if home had never smelled like this, not ever.

Eren got to his feet slowly, before dashing over into his bedroom, searching for the shirt he had worn the last time in the hotel, when Levi had been all but wrapped around him like a blanket. He made his way through the suitcase and then his hamper, throwing clothes everywhere, until his entire bedroom floor was a fucking mess, just to find it clean and washed in his closet, all scent gone and detergent stinging his nostrils. A sob escaped him as he sat down in front of his open closet, holding the shirt closer to his chest, rocking himself for some comfort.

Fuck momma jokes.

Fuck Reiner and Bertolt.

Fuck laundry service.

Fuck Ackerman and his stupid scent so so much.

A knock on his door rattled through the hallway. Eren ignored it, sobbing harder, purring louder. He just wanted to curl in on himself and make the real world go away.

He wanted to be the good 5 year old boy again that his mom and dad loved and not care about dynamics, being alpha or omega, being good, behaving well.

He just wanted to be a kid again, play house with his sister, pull at Zeke’s hair and make Faye shriek with laughter, when he pretended to kill her doll.

But he wanted a hug just as much, knowing fully well there was no one to lean on. He was rocking himself back and forth, as his tears flowed freely down his face. Trying to hold himself together at the same time, as the yearning crashed through him, leaving him in pieces. Maybe it was the drugs, maybe it wasn’t.

Maybe Doctor Zoe should have tested him further for depression or something. Maybe he had knocked his head badly, during that one hit at the thursday morning practice. Maybe he was not suitable to be a hockey player. Maybe the world would be better off locking him away into a mental institution, like they did back in the days, when omega’s were nothing else but slaves for the alpha’s pleasure.

Fucking emotions.

He was so miserable, his own scent registered in his mind as burning as hot as fire and rotten as ash of a volcano. Deep flaming sadness. He was supposed to be happy after moving in, but one dumb ass momma joke got him into all misery.

He missed his mom.

He missed her and he knew he could call Nanaba, but that wouldn’t be the same. Nanaba was his billet mom and she really did her best to keep him together, but she was not his mom!

Not the one Eren needed the most.

He was playing in the fucking National Hockey League now, he should be responsible and looking after himself. He shouldn’t need a mom, or her advice, or a hug, or any of the 5 million other things, Eren’s brain happily suggested as a solution, just to upset him further.

His purr was broken by sobs but still clear and loud as day, filling the entire bedroom as Eren struggled to not completely lose it. The last bit of hope to get him to calm the fuck down.

“Oh Eren.” the same soft voice, that pulled him into sleep last week spoke and Eren leaned into the touch of a hand, he felt on his cheek. Maybe he was imagining things, maybe he was finally gone too much, gone insane, to a space where no one could reach him any longer and his imagination became reality. He would happily stay there, if it meant the scent of maple leafs in his nose, the soft hands on his face and back, the firm but calm strokes of a broad palm on his back and the warmth from a body beside his own, enveloping him like a cocoon, making Eren get this floaty feeling in his gut.

The one that felt a bit like he couldn’t give two shits about the world and not even an atomic bomb could pull him away from it.

His purr growing more fierce and desperate. His entire body just screaming, almost singing with the need of someone next to him, shaking his small frame in its entirety as he cried.

The blanket surrounding him held little comfort. He missed the scent of maple leafs even more, the strong arms holding him together, pressing his fallen pieces back together like glue. Fixing him, saving him from himself.

So pathetic, so needy. Eren thought throughout the hiccups, that made his throat feel raw and burned up.

“It’s okay Eren, let it all out.” the soft voice said, rocking him, seeming to lift him up and onto something more comfortable, maybe it was his bed. Eren didn’t even flinch, far too gone to even register, just clinging to that voice.

It was so familiar, sounded a bit like Levi and even though Eren would never confess it, but yeah Levi being with him right then and there, would have been the best. Levi, the alpha who might could hold him together, save him from breaking apart.

It was all about Levi.

Laser Levi.

Levi. The name whispered wordlessly over and over again. Ackerman, the douche who made him feel so calm and composed, but made him so angry. Levi, the asshole who’s passes connected with his own, as if they were born for it. Levi, who is always bossing him around in his ugly red sweater, with that glowing “C” as captain.

Levi Ackerman, the only unbonded alpha Eren had ever met.

The voice in Eren’s head was making cooing, soothing noises in his ear, babbling in something that sounded French. Eren leaned into it, lost himself to it, but clung to it even tighter, mumbling Levi’s name without even realizing, while his heart was going a mile a minute and his breath caught in his chest making it feel tight, to the point it hurt to breathe.

“Arrête de pleurer, S'il te plaît arrête de pleurer. Ça va bien se passer. ça ira. Calme toi Eren. Tu n'es pas seul. Je suis avec toi. Prends une profonde respiration, grand respire, respire doucement.”

Eren couldn’t  help it, slowly running out of air from the way the panic was crashing through him like a title wave. He shuddered, his eyes sliding shut as his fingers clench around the rough fabric of the red jersey he imagined.  

Levi moves closer to the omega.  

It’s the sound of his clothes rustling right next to him, the fabric of the jersey moving beneath Eren’s fingers, the heat of Levi’s body, suddenly right there.

Eren opens his mouth, gasping for air and he doesn’t know what embarrassing sound he might be making, but one of Levi’s hands settles more firmly on his back, pressing into his muscles slightly as it drifts across overheated skin, beneath his fingertips.

“Shh.” the Levi voice soothes, Eren can see his lips so close in his mind, for one moment.

Then the next, his heart seems to lose its rhythm, as Levi presses them against the side of Eren’s face.

“Calme toi Eren, calme toi.” Levi murmurs, holding onto the shaking omega in his arms, lying on his back in Eren’s bed, the comforter messed up under him, from when he had dragged the brat onto it, with Eren stretched out on his chest, as he tries to get him to copy the rhythm of his own breathing. Slowly in and out. Even though Levi himself would like to have a moment to freak out.

Bertolt hadn’t told him, what exactly was going on, as he stopped by with Reiner earlier to drop of the key to Yeager’s new home with the words of: “You better take care of that captain. Kiddo’s miserable and might need someone to look after him. It’s not our responsibility.”

Fuck Bertolt anyway and Reiner too. They were the most selfish couple in the entire locker room. Levi knew they didn’t do it out of spite, that this was their way of showing that they cared, by telling Levi and letting him handle it, because Levi was the boss, Levi was the captain. It was his fucking duty to look after everyone.

He just wished it would have been Eren giving Levi the key, showing Levi, that he trusted him as his captain.

Hell, he didn’t even know, that the right winger got a condo. Getting the keys behind Yeager’s back was not how Levi had expected it to happen. Neither had he been prepared for what a mess he was walking in, when he came over straight away, following the alarm in Bertolt’s voice, when he had pleaded with Levi and the concern in Reiner’s eyes, who had been busy looking after Bertolt, so his mate wouldn’t lose his shit.

Finding Eren hyperventilating on his bedroom floor, in all tears and muffled screams, with the agonizing buzz of a purr echoing from the walls around him, that the air was almost humming with the beat of it, was nothing someone could have prepared him for ever. Not even his mum or dad, who had given him extra lessons in always expect the unexpected, when facing an unbonded omega. No alpha class in school ever covered, what Levi was finding himself in, left alone the fact of a purring omega, who purred without the traditional setting so to say.

It was a desperate sort of purring, buzzing in Levi’s ears, making himself almost cry with the urge to protect and end the omega’s pain .

Eren was drifting in and out of it, from all the alpha could tell, pressing his face into the fabric of Levi’s shirt.  

Eren thinks he can hear Levi’s heartbeat, which is so fucking impossible, because Levi is not here, Levi probably doesn’t even know that Eren needs him, wants him right now. From all people in his life, Levi is the next best thing on his mind, after the loss of his mother, not that Eren would ever tell anyone. This entire chaos is incredible ridiculous, considering how much he usually hates his captain’s guts. This must be his hormones driving his brain nuts. It makes something inside of him feel brittle, like it’s about to shatter apart, leaving Eren in a million broken pieces, unable to be fixed ever again.

The hand on his back slips beneath his drenched T-shirt, hot and firm against Eren’s skin, Levi pressing Eren still closer to his chest. Eren doesn’t understand anything at all anymore. He wants it to be real, is so confused and feels like he is dreaming, because it actually feels way too real. It freaks him out even more, but Levi is not letting go of the shaking omega on his chest.

Eren wants to sob even harder, purr even louder. He wants to pull out his hair. Levi can feel it in the way the smaller guy moves on his chest just a bit, can smell it in the scent that is pressing into every corner, hot unwavering sadness of fire that is all consuming, filling Levi’s nostrils to the brim, overriding all his senses and setting his own nerves alight, pushing every button of his alpha instinct.

He doesn’t ask Eren what’s wrong this time around, keeps cooing soothingly in french, trying to get him to settle down, but he  says: “Tell me what you need, please. Dis-moi! Je veux pouvoir t'aider.” his hand is patting Eren’s brown messed up hair, it’s only a brief moment, but he can feel the omega shaking his head a little, as if he would have understood. As if he would answer, saying: “You cannot fix me. You cannot help me.”  

Levi groans in frustration knowing Eren’s answer was probably not an answer at all. There was no way the brat understood all the stuff Levi only dared to tell him in French, knowing fully well, that there was no way in hell the omega spoke French.

The purr is slowly easing off a little, volume decreasing.

Levi’s touching him right now, but Eren can’t even focus on that, because there’s still the fucking burning pain within his chest. He tries to adjust to the heartbeat and breathing his ear picks up subconsciously, his face still pressed into Levi’s chest, his hand curled around the alpha’s waist, clinging onto it like it’s the only life line he has, to not drown into the subspace of suicidal thoughts, drifting at the dark side of his mind. The other, clawing painfully at the flesh of Levi’s right shoulder, just above his collarbone, fingernails digging into it bordering on painful, not that Levi would mind.

There’s the well known burn behind Levi’s eyes and it’s the closest, he’s come to crying in weeks. And it isn’t fucking fair!

Eren shifts, mumbling his name, voice almost gone, tears still soaking into the red jersey that is covering the alpha’s chest, because even though Eren is not fully aware of reality right now, he’s convinced Levi’s right here, holding him together, which he actually is.  

“You’re alright. I've got you. Je t'ai. Je t'ai. Reviens s'il te plaît.” Ackerman says and Eren isn’t alright, but he thinks, that he could be, if Levi stays right here, if Levi would be there the moment Eren dares to open his eyes, but he is so afraid to find himself all alone, so scared to the core, that he can’t stop purring, not entirely, not yet. He can’t bring himself to open his eyes, burying his face deeper into the fabric covering Levi’s chest, clinging tighter, if this is even possible.

It’s only half-true. He doesn’t only want his alpha captain to be there. Eren wants it all, needs it all, has always wanted it all, even as he told himself, he’d be okay on the team with an unbonded alpha, back home in his room at the Zacharias, when he had been so nervous about joining Chicago.

He told it to himself so often, tried to convince himself that the other alpha would not interfere with his game and now it was not really interfering with his game, but Ackerman was fucking up his entire hormonal household and Eren would take everything, would follow and go with whatever Levi was willing to give him.

Eren is blinking into the red jersey, Levi can see it out of the corner of his eye, from where he is staring at the ceiling of Eren’s new condo, still keeping up the soft movements of his hands and the gentle chatter of french, pleading with Eren to come back, assuring him that he is safe. Telling him, that he will take care of him, that he doesn’t need to be scared. Levi is saying all the right things a bonded alpha would say, a good alpha would tell his mate. He is not even fully aware of it himself, but his heart feels just as shattered as Eren’s all consuming sadness.

Time was long forgotten and Levi had no idea for how long he had been here, with Eren sprawled on top of him, shaking, falling apart, sobbing openly and heart wrenching. The purr had finally stuttered to a halt and stopped. Levi knew it wasn’t actually for him to hear and felt a little uneasy, that he had been here the entire time.

All the rules he had set for himself, the moment the General manager had told him, that Yeager would be drafted, did no longer apply. Things were different since last week already, since Levi saw Eren getting drugged up by the team physician and saw him suffering through the first stages of heat in his hotel room. All the rules are different now.

Ackerman felt kind of committed, kind of responsible and his senses were just as wound up, he could feel a rut coming up, from the way his anger flared on the ice, he felt trapped and triggered by Yeager’s presence. Put off and turned on by the smell, as sad as it tasted on his tongue. As if the smaller guy was pushing Levi’s limits, made him play better hockey, made him smile brighter, made his entire world tip over.

On the phone to his mom yesterday afternoon Levi had been all false confidence, assuring her that he could handle it. That, no Eren was not affecting him at all. That he was keeping his distance from the unbonded omega.

“There, that’s my son. Je t'aime mon fils.” Kuchel had said.

“Maman, tu peux me faire confiance.”  Levi had grumbled, it wasn’t a total lie, he was taking care of himself just fine. He just needed to take care of Eren first.

And  here they were. Levi combing through Eren’s messy hair cut, pressing his thumb in the base of Eren’s neck, letting his fingertips trail down the brat’s spine. His heart aching for the omega.

“I wish you could find back to yourself Eren. I wish I could help you. Please let me help you. I want to make you feel better. I want to make you smile. I want to see you smile. Want to see it light up your beautiful teal green eyes. Want to know how you smell when you are bubbling with happiness.” Levi murmurs silently to himself. He could feel Eren shift on his chest, adjusting his position. He broke off mid sentence.

Did Eren hear him?

Did the omega realize he was not alone, that Levi was with him?

Eren was indeed coming around, holding onto the voice and dragging himself to the surface, like he would follow it like a rope, an anchor settled deep within him, to guide him back into reality. His mind was still hazy and his head hurt, his eyes were itchy and he still felt alien and like he didn’t belong in this world. But there was Levi’s voice, Ackerman bubbling in stupid french, stuff Eren couldn’t understand, but feel. He could feel the words Levi was making and they touched something within him, covering up the raw hurt like a band aid. Just for the moment, but it was better nevertheless. A Laser Levi  band aid for a scratched up knee, even though in this case it wasn’t a hurt body part, it was Eren’s soul.

What was Eren supposed to do? He wanted Levi to realize, that he was listening, that he liked, what Levi said, that he liked that he felt like he belonged somewhere, no matter if it was blunt lie, made up to make him feel better and drive him away from the edge. Eren crawls closer to Levi’s throat. He wants to hear the vibrations the captain’s voice is making, he wants more of this comforting safety it brings him. He wants more of this feeling that he belongs somewhere. That someone cares, that someone can hold him together.

Levi stops after Eren settled closer and he rubs his nose over Levi’s collarbone, wants him to keep talking, to start talking again. Levi makes a strangled sound in the back of his throat, his hands still, as he feels Eren nosing at his collarbone like a kitten. It would be cute as hell, if the situation wouldn’t be so awkward. Levi doesn’t know what Yeager needs, what Yeager wants from him right now.

Eren tries to laugh about the awkward silence that had fell upon the room, Levi’s last words still fresh on his mind, but the sound gets stuck in his throat, making Eren cough and his throat burn. Levi holds him throughout, finally starts talking again.

“I’m so sorry.” Eren whispers against Levi’s throat, the humiliation cursing through his veins, waiting for Levi to push him away, to tell him, that Eren is pathetic and should have his shit together, to tell Eren, that yes he might have been proud of him, but that he’s just a slut in the end, someone to use, a worthless omega. That he needs to pay Levi back for all he did. He expects Levi to say all these hurtful things a traditional alpha would say. Some of the words he had picked up from the booming voice of his raging father downstairs, back in time. He’s afraid Levi might roll them over and get his hands down Eren’s pants to get his will.

He can feel the panic of the moment bubbling up again.,

“Please don’t be mad, please don’t make me. I’ll be good I promise. I didn’t mean to. I can’t help it.” Eren mumbles in the collar of the jersey, inhaling the sweet maple leaf scent, coming off of Levi’s body.

“Shh, I’m not expecting anything, you don’t have to do whatever horrible thing is on your mind. Calm down. Je t'ai. Personne ne va te blesser. ” Levi says, rubbing the back of Eren’s neck in slow circles.

“I’m...” Eren starts again.

“No more. Pas plus, Eren.” Levi soothes. Eren keeps his face pressed against the alpha’s throat, feeling the rumble of Levi’s voice on his cheek. Slowly, his hand rises, clenches more of the fabric of Levi’s shirt between his fingers. There’s nothing but hard firm muscle underneath the material, strong bones and a comforting warmth beneath his fist, all covered with the scent of maple leafs. Eren still hurts, but Levi is here. Levi’s got him. He’s right here with him. Ackerman strokes his fingers along the Eren’s spine, calluses catching against the still burning skin.

“You are such a mess, aren't you brat.” Levi whispered with a sad smile to his lips. He can feel Eren nod and a few more tears wetting his shirt collar, dripping through the material and sliding over his skin, leaving burning hot traces behind.

“But I’ve got you, okay. I just want to help, I can see you are hurting so bad. Just give it a chance, let me help you. Let me be your friend Yeager. I promise I don’t expect anything from you.” Levi pleaded, even though his voice was firm and serious, with every ounce of alpha authority he could muster, without sounding threatening. The last he needed was scaring Eren even more.

The brunette curled his hand tighter around Levi, obviously struggling with himself. Silence filled the condo after Levi’s statement and for a second he was afraid, that Eren might not answer his plea at all, would just ignore Levi with all he could muster.

“I like the way you smell.” Eren mumbled against Levi’s throat, instead of answering the question some time later. He could feel it, that Levi was honest with him, that he meant what he said, but still the doubt was blossoming in his heart, making it hard to trust. Making it hard to trust anyone, who wasn’t Mike and Nanaba, who haven’t spent years on supporting Eren’s progress, taking one day at a time and never judging him for every step back he took instead of walking forward.

“Good, that’s enough for now.” Levi murmured, running his hands through Eren’s hair, the scent becoming more prominent. He really wasn’t asking for much, wasn’t even sure what to expect, he only wanted to stop Eren from being so sad and give him someone to turn to. And if there was no one left for Eren to hold onto, it was Levi’s goddamn job to give him that, as his captain. It was his responsibility and he took that shit serious.

“You care a lot about him, don’t you Levi?” his mom had asked gently, knowing him better than anyone. Levi had denied her an answer, couldn’t find the words to express, what happened to him around the omega.

His entire senses just short circuited, the universe completely focussing on Eren and his needs, something that usually just happened to him with hockey.

Seeing Eren reject his advice sent him into rage so intense, he couldn’t even find it in himself to calm down, so close he came to his alpha instincts overriding his self control. A determination and control Levi had spent years on building up to.

Eren’s breathing had returned to normal and when Levi dared to look back down to check on the right winger, he saw him fast asleep, all worn out and exhausted, but obviously comfortable half on top of Levi, if the slack smile across his lips was anything to go by.

Pride filled him, maybe they could walk this bridge he had built together. Levi could do that, if he could do nothing else for Eren he could at least do this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> “Arrête de pleurer, S'il te plaît arrête de pleurer. Ça va bien se passer. ça ira. Calme toi Eren. Tu n'es pas seul. Je suis avec toi. Prends une profonde respiration, grand respire, respire doucement.” - Stop crying, stop crying please. It’s going to be alright. It will pass. Eren calm down. You're not alone. I’m with you. Take a deep breath, deep breath, breathe slowly.  
> “Calme toi Eren, calme toi.” - Eren calm down, calm down  
> “Dis-moi! Je veux pouvoir t'aider.” - Tell me! I want to help you  
> “Je t'ai. Je t'ai. Reviens s'il te plaît.” - I’ve got you. I’ve got you. Please come back.  
> “Je t'aime mon fils.” - I love you my son.  
> “‘Maman, tu peux me faire confiance.” - Mom, you can trust me.  
> “Je t'ai. Personne ne va te blesser. ” - I’ve got you. Nobody is going to hurt you.  
> “ Pas plus, Eren.” - No more, Eren.


	9. Break me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy reading :)

Throughout the next games Eren seemed to stay consistent. He was not particularly getting worse from all Levi could tell, but the urge to be around the unbonded omega grew stronger, than what Levi was really comfortable with. It was like a silent pressure on the back of his neck, pushing him on. A guide he didn't call for and that took every ounce of his self control to not spent 24/7 with Eren, just to make sure he was looked after and well off.

Levi was so fucked and not even did he knew it, his maman knew it too and she made sure to remind him about it, every single damn time he called home.

Back off! It's not your place! He used to scold himself. It was on loop in his mind for every hour he spent awake and specially around Eren.

Management wasn’t really helping ,setting up countless interviews and commercial shots with the both of them together. There actually wasn’t a day Levi did not meet Eren at least once, even if they only spent 5 minutes tops in the same room in total in the end, he was still there.

The only time Levi did not see him, was when he was hiding away on purpose at Bertolt's and Reiner's place, or when he visited Horseface and Marco, which was strange for Eren, who more or less was living in the right side pocket of Jean's jeans, with Marco mothering all around the rookie. It felt spooky.

The tension if you wanted to call it like that, wasn’t one sided, Eren felt it too, could see it in the way they clicked on the ice, could see it at the way the puck flew back and forth like a competition about, who got the assist and who the goal. He could see it in the side glances teammates threw their way, little broken off sound bites when either of them was near enough to hear.

To say Horseface had a fest chirping them wouldn't cover it, the guy obviously thought his birthday and Christmas had luckily fallen on the same day this year. Eren could smell it in the shift of intensity in Levi’s smell, that sometimes carried all over to him in the locker room during intermissions. A calming presence at the back of his mind, like a late autumn breeze. But more than he admitted, he felt it in his body's reactions.

They still remained kind of attuned to each other, Levi causing that itching feeling under his skin and giving him a boner in unexpected moments more than Eren felt okay with.

The bursts of emotions were something he rather ignored for the sake of it.

Most of all he could hear it in the way the chirping on ice changed, if they played any game – home or away there really was no difference to it, except for team practices and resulting scrimmages from morning or optional skates.

If it was brutal before, he didn’t know what to call it now, the name calling and insults almost seemed life threatening. It made him itch with the urge to fight, made him check opponents harder if it was needed - he wanted them to feel the pain - made him skate faster, to get out of the way, if they were singling him out for a vicious attack.

It was not, that he was expecting mercy on ice, but there still was a sort of respect within every hockey player, an unspoken rule usually to not only go after the weakest link of a team – which was always the unbonded player, not that there were that many to begin with - which was the reason, why the rule usually also included omega's in general.

Referees had to call dives and penalties in an amount that put the game itself to shame, when the Blackhawks were on the ice. Coach Pixis thought he really needed to have a word with the both of them, since it fucked with the entire line combinations and their power play. He yelled enough to have a word with an entire army. What use were his team’s best players, if they racked up penalty minutes faster than he could count on one hand or follow the seconds display on his wrist watch?

It was either one of them on the bench or Armin Arlert, but then again Armin had been on the bench a lot before, it kind of was his job to stop the opposing team or interrupt their play at least. Some of the guys even called him the team enforcer just to fuck with him.

Armin didn't really like it and would whine about it so much, that even Ian Dietrich rolled his eyes more often than not, before ruffling his hair in affection and kissing his mate.

With a quick start to his rookie campaign, Yeager was named the NHL Rookie of the Month for October on November the 2nd, 2007, after tallying five goals and eleven assists in twelve games, while Kirschtein was currently the first on the scoring boards in goals for the team.

When November came around Eren noticed with shock, while packing his suitcase, that it had been almost four weeks since his last dose and the effects hadn't worn off, but gotten even worse. He was needy all along and missed Ackerman the second his smell was gone from the air Eren breathed.

He had already showered for a third time since getting up, to go to the airport and he was already running late, but also dripping with sweat nonetheless. His skin felt raw and burned up like he would be sporting a badass fever to go along with the pounding headache that tortured him, even though he hadn't been drinking at all. Sometimes Bertolt, Reiner and some of the older guys on the team would split shots with him and Levi out of sympathy and out of the press view, so drunk rookies wouldn't be all over Chicago's morning tabloids, but still – it didn't stop his head from throbbing in its own beat.

He was so fucked! Maybe he should have talked to the doctor after all. He didn't really feel well enough to play a full game and was already thinking about a way to tell their coach, to shorten his minutes on the ice. Not as if this hadn't already happened, the fatigue hadn't gone unnoticed and Eren was grateful, that they gave him a bit of room, but it seemed not enough. He needed more, much more than just that.

It didn't do it justice in the slightest. His body was demanding more and more and he didn't know what to do about it. Requesting rest was only available, if he went to the trainers and named what caused his problem, so they would put him on IR.

Which would entitle talking about Levi, about his feelings and how his body was all weird around the captain. It would also mean sitting out games, which wasn't something he was looking forward to. Hockey was all he had left to keep him sane and hockey was all, what brought him close to Levi, he needed hockey to be with Levi, because he simply needed to be with Levi fucking Ackerman. Period.

Of course he could go by his condo and spent some time there, or simply ask him to come over, if this would be something Eren was brave enough to do, which he simply fucking wasn't. His omega instincts could be screaming bloody fucking murder at him and he wouldn't even dare to get three feet near Levi's place after all.

He wished he would have more balls, or actually go see Levi and straight out tell the unbonded alpha, that he was driving him up the wall. That Eren wanted. He simply wanted, he didn't even know what. he craved, but he needed. He needed it so desperately, that every inch of his five feet and a couple inches - inches that he always cheated about - body was actually singing with it.

Everything in him was screaming for it, a demand he couldn't ignore. No matter how hard he tried.

They were supposed to leave from Chicago O'Hare in under two hours, to play against the Blue Jackets in Columbus Ohio. It was home ice for their opponents in the Nationwide Arena the next day. Eren wasn't even anywhere near the fucking airport, still fighting his carry on luggage, left alone the time for check-in he still needed, to get on the team charter on time.

Levi would have his fucking head for breakfast the next day, if he delayed their departure for longer then really strictly necessary. If the truck with all their gear would get stuck in traffic of busy Chicago, that was one thing, but not if some player didn't get his ass going in time. The board full of selfish alpha's would get mad and most likely punish him - if they actually found time in between all the being dickish kind of head office staff things they did - and coach Smith would make him do back skates until his fucking legs would give out and his hips would feel disconnected to the rest of his damn body. He could be glad if he still remembered how to fucking walk afterwards. Dot Pixis would have had more sense for Eren feeling miserable. He missed their old coach, was still trying to adjust to Erwin Smith, but the old fear of being reduced to his dynamic, like back in juniors was still evident in every single one of Eren's thoughts. He hadn't faced Erwin Smith that much, since he joined as the team’s Head coach, which made it even more complicated to guess how important dynamics were to him. Whether or not he would hate Eren for being an omega.

His cell phone went off, as he struggled into his shoes and jacket at the same time. He patted down his pockets without success, before rushing into the kitchen, gaze searching the counter top, from where the noise was coming, getting more agitated by the passing second. Grabbing for it blindly, he answered, while rushing back into his bedroom searching for his charger. Glad that he had remembered more or less on the last minute or his cell would have died, before their plane had even touched down in Ohio, given the fact he would have remembered to take it with him in the first place, if it was still in the kitchen. And Eren really didn't fancy asking someone on the team to help him out, or go out in Columbus to buy a new charger for his cell. Given the fact that they would of course win and beat the fuck out of the Blue Jackets.

He shouldn't give a single fuck, but he did. He didn't fancy having some other alpha than Levi bossing him around or telling him what to do. The song kept repeating itself, signaling that whoever was on the other end of the line, wouldn't let up all too soon. Eren finally swept to the answering button, putting the device up to his ear, hoping that his thoughts wouldn't get distracted once again. For example by the dampness of his boxer shorts and the way they were clinging to his thighs uncomfortably by now.

„Yeah?“ Eren gasped into the receiver, after retrieving the vibrating device from the kitchen counter, where he had left it as his billet mom had called earlier on to check up on him, still standing in the doorway to his bedroom, charger in one hand.

„YEAGER!“ Levi's booming voice came through the speaker.

„Oh my god.“ he groaned in answer to his captain, who was all serious as shit and using his deepest alpha voice, all hard, rough like steel and almost demanding. God, Levi fucking Ackerman sounded like he had sucked dick for a living all night long and it so did it for Eren. If possible his underwear felt even more clingy and wet and just all throughout gross.

„Where the fuck are you?“ Levi deadpanned, instead of making a big deal of Eren’s obvious embarrassment, that filtered through his voice, once he registered who had called.

“Err... I'm on my way, more or less.” Eren mumbled, shame lacing the words. He was not even out of the door yet and with every passing minute he felt less likely to actually really set a foot outside his condo. His entire body was flinching at the idea of leaving, but he had a job to do, hockey to play. Plus he still needed Levi and Levi was at the fucking airport, so he better got there and got a move on.

“Eren, where exactly are you? And don't give me shit! Coach is furious and everyone is just waiting for you.” Levi growled.

“Home. But on my way out, it's just... look... it's difficult but I will hurry.” Eren mumbled, taking his suitcase and his duffle, stumbling through the front door.

“Have you overslept?” Levi almost laughed.

“No.” Eren trailed off, locking the door behind himself audibly, sighing as his dress pants scraped over his sensitive skin. He wanted to hiss out in pain at the obvious assault to his body by the damn fabric. He also wanted to rush back in, leave the damn suitcase in the hallway and get the hell out of his clothes and into the shower and maybe just maybe, it would help, if he would rub one out with Levi's voice coming from the cellphone, he would leave it at the sink. He might also would pretend to answer, whatever Levi would ask and tell him, to keep the cover up. But yeah a little friction on his dick would surely help.

“Are you alright Yeager?” Levi asked next, sensing the tension in the omega's voice, who just left his condo, judging by the background noise.

“Am on my way.” Eren mumbled, as he waved the next best cabby over, hauling his luggage into the backseat, before dropping into the passenger seat and telling him to go to the airport at lightning speed and that he would actually cover any speeding tickets, that would occur, he just would need to sent them to the Hawks front office. He rather had Nile Dawk, or any other chairmen yelling at him for a speeding ticket, than being even more late, just because the cabby was all serious about the traffic rules.

“You sound off and weird buddy. But seeing you are on your way, I expect to see your stupid mug within half an hour tops.” Levi joked, laughing at the end, hanging up on him. Eren was grateful the alpha didn't ask further questions, but knowing Ackerman, he might as well just withhold them, until he had Eren in front of himself in person, just to start interrogating all over again.

The cabby was already giving him weird looks and as soon, as he had put his cell phone away, he sure as hell was going to face a gut punching comment. He was eyeing him suspiciously from the corner of his eye.

“You reek son!” Eren flinched back at the words, trying to put them off and kept his mouth shut. He was pissed and confused, how did that cab driver dared talking to him like that. He might not be a big star in hockey yet, but his words were totally not customer friendly. Eren's own nose was blocked up with, what he supposed was the beginning of a flu, so he couldn't actually tell if he smelled like anything in particular, but he did have had garlic last night, so the guy might as well have been commenting on that.

“I don't know how you professionals handle shit like that, but seeing you always pushing through the pain hurts, ya know. No idea how you can even stay up on the ice. I would lock myself away with my wife in the cabin for days until it's all back to normal.” the older driver went on. Eren just shrugged off his comment in silence, watching the numbers on the price ticker rise steadily, as they made their way through the traffic to the bustling airport, where the team charter and one obviously annoyed Levi Ackerman, including teammates would be waiting for him. He didn't feel like handling small talk now anyway and why should he care what the cabby and his wife were up to?

Eren got more fidgety, the closer they got to the airport. His body seemed to be humming with a nervous kind of energy, almost like arousal at the prospect of getting to see Levi again, not that Eren would confess to that – of course not, but the yearning of his body was making him squirm just that tiny bit harder in his seat. A sigh of relief escaped his lips, when they finally pulled up in front of the airport and Eren got to hurry off with his luggage, leaving an incredible tip behind, said cabby would tell his wife about in the evening for sure, but the omega couldn't care less.

Forty five minutes had passed on the ride in rather silence, after the initial awkward conversation took place and the cool air felt like a soft blanket on his overheated skin, as he stepped out, just to be crowded into stuffy O'Hare seconds later, rushing to the Check-in for his flight, where – of course - Levi stood patiently waiting for him, frowny face full on, judging him so hard.

“Yeager, there you are.” Levi sighed, eyeing him suspiciously, as Eren handed his papers over and his suitcase to be tagged for the destination, so it wouldn't get lost on the way to Columbus. The beta behind the counter glanced at the red “O” on his ID, then back at Eren sporting a rather sympathetic small smile, that was bordering on pure pity, wrinkling his nose in obvious acknowledgment.

Eren wanted to frown or bang his head on the counter separating them but opted to fix his gaze on his sneakers instead. Yes he felt like shit and probably smelled like it as well – thank you very much – but he didn't need their pity party.

He avoided looking at his captain, feeling hot all over from the intense gaze he was seized up with, before following him to their gate and the waiting area, that was left in eerie silence, since most of his teammates and the staff had already boarded.

“Are you sure you're okay?” Levi asked, in the same patient tone like he had during their phone call, as they strode through the hall towards their waiting charter flight. He hadn't missed out on the obvious spike in Eren's scent and the sweat shining on the right wingers forehead. The way Yeager seemed kind of drunk and his eyes not really focusing, if he even bothered to look up in the first place and the light was good enough to make out a movement behind the thick framed sunglasses, he had pushed all the way close to the bridge of his nose. A tell tale sign, that something was up. It made Levi kind of angry. He wanted to yell at everyone, who glanced at the other omega for a second with even just a hint of interest. He wanted to crowd Eren into his condo and save him from all those watching eyes – prying gazes that seemed to want to strip Yeager down naked. He wanted to take care of him, look out for him and also kind of wanted to pin him up the hallway wall and rub up against him, maybe even rub one out on him, or god forbid coming inside of him, leave his scent all over the omega and might as well go to town on him, while he was at it – but that was totally not an option. Levi had no right to claim him and he couldn't really figure out, where the urge itself came from all of a sudden.

But he wanted him and it was all determination and years and years of alpha classes, that helped him keep his distance from the vulnerable right winger.

“Am fine.” Eren mumbled in a hushed voice, counting the stone tiles beneath his sneakers, as they crossed the silent hall – the noise from the rest of the airport was just muffled white noise in the background. His voice seemed to echo of the walls and he could feel the headache slowly rebuilding its force, behind his eyes, that were still covered by his sunglasses. A steady pressure, that seemed to spike into something ugly, when Levi's arm brushed up against his own, as they hurried over side by side, to get on board just in time. Everyone was just waiting for them, the flight grounded, but not yet delayed.

HE'S MINE! every fibre in Levi's body was singing.

The maple scent was evident and stronger than usual and so close, but didn't help the slightest against the nauseating feeling, that followed the pounding in the back of his skull. Obviously Ackerman was not the medication for everything in Eren's existence – sadly! Eren was wishing for the opposite, if it would help him get through this flight and play a decent game the following day. But he felt like Levi being this close, was actually triggering the pain in his head to spike even more. But he couldn't walk away – he was locked on a charter flight with the other bunch of assholes, he would call his teammates on a normal day and Captain Serious for the next 2 hours or what it would take – Eren couldn't exactly remember the time they would arrive in Columbus.

When he finally flopped down into his seat on the plane, he was feeling so dizzy, he wasn't even sure where they were supposed to be playing.

Eren was thankful, to be sitting not that far away from the on board toilet and curled up in his seat against the window, as soon as Levi stopped in front of the row, guiding Eren with a hand on his lower back, his fingertips never really leaving the fabric of Eren's coat, until the omega had finally settled, knees drawn up to his chest, head leaning against the cool glass, eyes still covered by the hideous shades, that seemed too big for his slightly ash like pale face. If Levi looked any closer, there was a tinge of red underneath it all. He also didn't miss out on the obvious interest and murmuring that started up as he and Yeager finally boarded. A couple of heads turning in their direction, as the conversation seemed to start up again, but more fervently than before.

“ACK!” Jean groaned, rolling his eyes and rubbing peppermint oil under his nose, like he would suffocate any minute without it.

“Fuck off, Horseface!” Levi growled low in his throat, a clear threat on the edge of his voice. Both their scents so strong, that most of the bonded pairs seemed to draw even closer. Armin was nuzzling Ian’s neck, face tugged away silently purring, fingers tangled in his mates hair, Langnar was messaging his wife, if the pace his fingers were flying over the screen of his phone, were anything to go by. Reiner was cuddling Bertolt close, whose nose was buried in the crook of his neck as he purred quietly, he was not the only one – others were heard more loudly, keeping the rest of the alpha's on the team calm and composed, but more than one was glaring at Levi as if to challenge him. Arms were crossed in front of chests, flung around waists - a claim but also a statement. Silent but evident and it stirred Levi's aggressive side to protect the omega for all he was worth it. Fuel to the fire burning in Levi's gut.

If this would be the Dallas Stars charter flight Levi would bet his Captaincy on Rico Brzenska sitting already half naked in the lap of Mario Freudenberg by now - he was sure he would make some money out of it.

Levi bundled Eren up in a pile of blankets, leaving him alone for a moment, to walk up the aisle and talk to coach Smith, before they would take off. He stared everybody else down, who even made an indication to leave his seat, to sit next to Yeager, for the time Levi was busy.

“Levi.” Hannes hissed, taking the wrist of the captain, as he passed by his seat.

“Not now Hannes.” Levi murmured, but the older alpha wasn't letting go off of him, he even tucked him down, forcing the younger guy to look at him.

“Levi!” Hannes repeated seriously. “You fucking know, that Yeager's in heat don't you? He reeks all over the fucking plane. Why didn't you sent him home and told the trainers? You must have felt it just as I did. He was on edge for weeks now. Don't tell me you didn't see this one coming. It hit me in the fucking face, as soon as you both boarded.” Hannes whispered sternly. Levi's brows furrowed in concentration, as he listened to the older alpha on their team. Having put the facts on the table like this, without any gloss to cover over the sharp edges, made Levi feel pretty dumb. The Slovak might had played for the damn Flyers before, but that didn't mean he had not seen enough unexpected omegas in heat or alphas going into rut, before Levi had even been playing in the NHL. Hannes was right, he should have seen this one coming, but his emotions were so all over the place, that he simply forgot to notice. And once Yeager had walked up to the Checkin counter at the airport, nothing in the world would have been able to separate him from the other omega and leave him behind, now when he obviously was so vulnerable and needed someone to look out for him.

God damn it! Levi was the only one, who could do this for him and he would do it!

“Couldn't leave him behind, when he showed up in the state he's in. You wouldn't have left your Swedish bedtime adventure either!” Levi growled back all protective, shoulders widening, as if he was ready to fight Hannes  over it. He would fight everybody right now, who even just looked at Yeager a little strangely.

HE IS MINE! Levi thought, glancing back to the suffering right winger.

Hannes wasn't looking to fight him, he let go off Levi's hand and sighed heavily, his eyes burning into Levi's own with sincerity. If he was offended by Levi bringing up how Farlan Church had a wife, while still somehow managing to entertain one of his teammates all the time – he didn't let it show. Or Hannes didn't care, Levi could imagine that scenario just as well.

“You signed right up Laser, don't you see it? Go and tell the coach, before someone is losing his shit over this.” he urged, eyes locked on him, shoving him forward in the direction, where Smith was already waiting for him.

Levi wanted to turn away from the accusing nuance in the new trainers eyes. They weren't friends, or as close as he had been with Pixis. It was their first official game with the new trainer and his team. There was duty calling Levi's name loud and clear, but there also was Eren in the back, whining in the blanket and fidgeting on the uncomfortable seat and Levi only wanted to go back and help him ease, so he could sleep away most of the flight. But first of all, he had some explaining to do. He wasn't very confident, whether or not he would actually find the right words. Talking about Eren was not so high on the list of things Levi wanted to do right now.

After a not really comfortable conversation with the new trainer, Levi's temper was on its peak. He was ready to snap at everyone and everything within a 10 mile radius. Death everybody's way, who even came anywhere near the unbonded omega.

He's mine! MINE!

The thought was constantly on the tip of his tongue, ready to be aired in an angry shout any minute.

Levi had settled in the seat next to Yeager, who was squirming uncomfortably, rubbing his forehead against Levi's shoulder, while the alpha murmured to him in French, like he had the last time. Little praise and words of comfort to get Eren through the flight.

Hannes words were on a loop in his head and when he was down for the count, he was in for the penny as well Levi figured. Whatever it would take to look after Eren.

Jean passed them on the way to the toilet, something close to concern on his face. He had been texting with his husband for most of the time, but it would be a lie, if he didn't care about the rookie, who was shaking, with is head pillowed in the captain's lap. Levi's fingers combing through the sweaty mess of brown strands curling at the tips, caressing the heated skin behind Yeager's ear and back into the mess of hair again, scraping the skin of his scalp just lightly, making Eren purse his lips and whisper into the fabric of Levi's shirt, his nose pressed up just under the alpha's navel, where the fabric was shoved up for about an inch, trying to hide his face, as best as he could. Seeking skin on skin contact like a newborn baby.

In other circumstances Ackerman would have felt crowded, but with Eren literally trying to climb into Levi's skin, he just wanted to hug the omega even closer.

“Hold on and hang in there Eren. We'll be back in the hotel soon enough, try to sleep in the meanwhile. I'm taking care of you.” Levi mumbled silently, rubbing Eren's back, while thinking the most unsexy thought he could come up with to keep himself from getting hard.

Obviously Yeager in heat was really doing it for him and Levi was left almost ashamed of his own desires, by the time Eren stilled under his touch. He was still shifting occasionally, rubbing up against Levi and his legs tangling on the seat in his sleep, whining into the fabric of Levi's own damp shirt, but he was way too out of it to notice.

Levi prayed for the journey to end, so he could actually lock them into the hotel room and provide proper care for the omega.


	10. Hold you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Silently updates and runs away... I'm sorry really sorry

The flight to Columbus seemed like a never ending torture to Levi, who was facing the music as Armin had murmured and everybody else on the charter. When Eren was awake enough in his heat haze, he tried to undress Levi to no avail, since he was keeping his hands bound in a tight grip, that never faltered, but was not painful either, even as Eren’s puppy dog eyes did his best to get him to loosen up a little, when they had hit a turbulence. While the captain struggled to get him to drink enough water instead, his most urgent need should have been, seeking a toilet to take a piss. But Eren was burning up so much, the water did little to his bladder, it more or less evaporated the second he swallowed it down, for all Levi could tell. The heat radiating from Yeager was putting Levi in need of a shower himself. His pants felt clumsy and sticky, from where their bodies touched and his thighs wear worn tired, by supporting most of the omega's upper body and Eren really was a handful, when he tried to get into the alpha's underwear.

The occasional sniffles and whining moans escaping Eren made some other alpha's flinch, even though he kept nuzzling into Levi as close as possible. Reduced to the desire of his body, that was focussing in on Levi and him alone. Other alpha's, even though they were close, did nothing to face him. It was all about Levi Ackerman.

Eren tried to rub up against him, tried to get friction of any sort, but Levi wouldn't let him, even though Eren could feel how hard the alpha was in his pants, the outline of his cock visible in the delicate dress pants Levi wore on the charter flight. Eren couldn't imagine it to be comfortable, but that was one of the weird captain things Levi always did. Maybe he even got off in his business suit.

“Eren!” Levi ordered in his low alpha voice all serious and shit. “Come on, sleep a little, we are almost there.” the omega whined low in his throat, but stopped pestering him for a second, submitting to his alpha's – Levi's- command. He was not claimed by Ackerman, but in that moment he would do anything to feel Levi leaving his teeth deep bruising in the flesh of his neck.

The captain wanted to sigh in relief, when he felt Eren melting into his touch, as he kept caressing his hair. The pressure of Eren's palm on the bulge in his pants now decreasing, as he curled up more against Levi's side in the cramped space. If they wouldn't been stuck on a charter flight, Levi wouldn't even have bothered to undress himself, but would've manhandled the omega to give into his desire. Every fibre in his body was screaming to get into Eren, to feel that tight slick, heat that was waiting for him, willing him to be filled up.

  
  


\- Think about Coach Pixis naked in a bikini, dancing tango on the kitchen counter- he ordered himself and felt his face flinch automatically.

Jean – the fucking asshole- cackled across the aisle, winking at him, as if he knew, what sort of depressing and utterly disgusting mental image just crossed Levi’s mind.

  
  


When they finally touched down, Levi had woken Eren up enough, to tug him in next to him and halfway carry him off the flight and into a cab. The guys would manage their luggage just fine. It wasn't the best to rely on his teammates like that, but that was the least they could do. Levi couldn't help feeling a little pissed off. He knew omega's in heat were hard to handle, but the force of Eren's scent and needs was overwhelming him and leaving him alone, on slightly shaky ground, with his rut close to just breaking free.

To be honest Levi was totally out of his depth. Just going with his own instincts leading the way and directing his actions.

  
  


“ I'm going to make both of you regret that!” Horseface mumbled, when he walked down the aisle behind Levi carrying Eren down the stairs. The captain was glaring at everyone in a distance, like he was 4 seconds away from committing mass murder, if one more word was directed at either him or the omega in his arms.

“Fuck you, douche!” Levi growled in response, before leaving with Eren, who clung onto Levi's neck as close as he could get. His tongue trying to lick every bit of skin, he was able to reach, with his face tucked in.

“Levi!” Eren complained, rubbing his cheek against the collar of Ackerman’s button down shirt. He had managed to undo at least 3 buttons, before Levi's strong hands and the command in his voice stopped him dead in his tracks. Forcing him to obey to the orders given by the alpha.

“It's okay Eren, we are almost there.” he soothed, with his lap full of right winger in the cab, while the rest of the team was going by bus.

Coach Smith wasn't very keen to “air the entire fucking bus off the smell of you both ACKERMAN! Take care of the matter right now.” as he had put it.

  
  


He dragged the mess that usually resembled his right winger into their hotel room 15 minutes later, barely managing to hang up the “do not disturb” sign, before Eren was pawing at his clothes in earnest, pressing closer to him, that Levi's head started to feel foggy with lust and want, zoning in on the omega and forgetting all the best etiquette right along with it. Most of his brain suddenly comfortably situated in his own balls.

“Levi!” Eren wailed, seeking more skin contact, his fingers getting tangled in the fabric and buttons of the alpha's flight rumbled shirt, staring at him through half lidded eyes, the teal green orbs almost swallowed up by the black of his dilated pupils.

“Shhh calme toi Eren, je t'ai eu.” Levi mumbled, one hand tangled into Eren's brown sweaty strands and picking him up again, with the other slung around the omega's thighs to carry him over to the bed bridal style. For once he was not mad about the double bed, instead of the twin beds they usually got, but mistakes were appreciated this time around.

The moment Eren settled on his hips, chest pressed flush against Levi and closed his legs behind the alpha's back, while his arms clung to his neck, face rubbing up at Levi's throat, they were as close as they'd never been before. Levi's legs didn't butch under the added weight of the omega, even though they felt like jello to him.

“LEEEEEVIIIIIII!” Yeager pleaded, bucking his hips down in an attempt to get friction on his slicked up hole and rock hard dick. His pants so worn through and wet, that he felt like the fabric didn't even matter anymore, he could have been bare assd for all he knew.

Not that he was able to think clearly right now anyway. He was drunk on the scent of maple leafs that Levi put out, engulfing him and high on want and hormones. All he wanted was for Levi to finally get with the program. Levi's cock buried deep inside himself, he should say all those dirty french things, claim him. Eren would do anything. He didn't even care, if he was agreeing to marry him, as long as the end would mean, that Levi would take him apart and put him back together right the fuck now.

  
  


The center pushed Yeager down on the bed, not even bothering to kick off the comforter – to hell with it. The omega smelled like want and arousal, promising relief to his hard on.

Levi felt like he was punched in the gut by the overwhelming scent of apple cake. Eren smelled like the sweetest apple cake Levi ever devoured. He had avoided to actually sniff Eren for most of the time – unless you count the moments, when Eren's misery was so obvious, that it penetrated Levi's nose without permission – forced him to acknowledge its existence and to call Eren out on it. He hadn't forgotten about the encounter in the United Center, at the beginning of the season, when Eren had flipped him off with: “Don’t fucking sniff me you asshole!”

Levi groaned low in his throat at the memory.

“Fuck Yeager! Just look at you.” he muttered more to himself than anything, while the omega plastered himself up against the firm muscle of Levi's chest, his fingertips digging into Levi's shirt, roughing up the fabric in search of purchase.

“I've got you! I'll take care of you.” Levi promised and tried his hardest to slow Eren down, one of his hands pushing his hips flush against the mattress and the weight of his body pressing him further into the messy sheets. Everything within him screamed to restrain the omega, but Levi didn't dare to pin Eren's wrist above his head. The possibility of him getting scared, or even worse, tipping the omega into a panic attack was too close, given the fact that Eren had no experience whatsoever. So holding him down was out of the question, but thinking about it made Levi groan nevertheless, as he used his weight to hold Yeager in place, while his lips covered every inch of his face, he could reach with butterfly kisses, before slotting their lips together again more forcefully, teeth clicking and noses bumping together, with an edge of too much spit. The alpha revels in the push and pull of their mouths together, tongues curling around each other in a passionate dance, picking up every unexpected sound that leaves Eren’s lips, when they break apart for oxygen.

That didn't stop the omega from begging underneath him, pushing all of the alpha’s buttons. He wouldn't be surprised, if Eren would start to actually straight out wail into his ear, begging for Levi to fuck him hard and fast, so he shut him up, the only way he knew how to, with kisses and tongue, moving lower ever so slowly, as he nipped at Eren's exposed neck, grazing teeth against the soft flesh underneath and resisting the urge to actually leave a claiming mark, even though everything within him, was pushing to do exactly just that.

Instead Levi distracted himself by undressing the right winger in lightning speed, fingers trailing the outline of Eren's adam's apple, before his hand came to rest on his chest, fingers splaying wide and open. An unspoken statement of trust, that he would stop whenever Eren asked him to. But before they would get to the point, which required negotiations like that, it would sure as hell take some time, Levi didn’t want to rush it, so he lazily pulled off his own pants and shirt to make it equal and even and to prevent Yeager from actually causing more serious damage to his button down - it was Hugo Boss, okay.

When Eren's underwear came off, the smell of apple cake was threatening to overwhelm Levi, clouding his senses, leaving both of them panting heavily in the silence of the hotel room. Levi felt like he just passed out for milliseconds.

“Levi!” Eren breathed low down the alpha's neck, his green eyes piercing and clear as crystal teal water, as they locked gazes. His fingers somehow managed to get a hold on the waistband of Levi's own boxer briefs, tugging impatiently.

“Want you so bad.” Eren slurred, the heat making him lose coherence, as he dragged the fabric down Levi's strong hips, feeling him respond to the touch and leaning slightly more forward in an attempt to stop him, while he was grinding up against the omega’s V shape sharply, dick catching through the fabric on the skin at Eren’s hip bone, his breath leaving his chest in a heavy exhale, the movement made sparks fire up his spine, rewarding him with a loud moan of approval by the omega.

“Oui Eren.” Levi couldn't help but whisper, all his English was about to leave him, the more heated things got between them. Eren groaned, one hand slipping onto Levi’s back, leaving deep red scratch marks, trying to urge the alpha into some action finally.

Levi felt the spark of pain briefly, as Eren’s fingernails scratched the sensitive skin and over his shoulder, down to the collarbone, sending his senses into a francy. His nature was taking over and he felt like running on autopilot, not even remembering, when his hand wrapped around Yeager’s cock and started to fist him. If they were silent before, they were definitely getting louder by the minute, if Eren’s moans were anything to go by.

Levi didn’t even need lube, which was still in his suitcase, which hopefully was with the team somewhere in the hotel. Levi didn’t even care. Eren was so slicked up, it made him feel like drowning in a waterfall. Both their scents mingling together and filling up every corner of the room, as his hands started to wander all over the omega’s body. Eren breathing harshly as Levi’s fingers lingered on his inner thighs, one thumb brushing down his balls, grazing his rim just briefly. All complaints faded under Levi’s mouth, assaulting the skin just above Eren’s dick, before slipping lower, tracing the throbbing vein on the underside of the omega’s cock, back up to the sensitive tip. Eren’s hand dangled in Levi’s slightly grown out hair, a jumble of heat hazed words falling from his lips, when Levi finally took pity on him, swallowing him down, as much as he could, while his thumb worked its way around his hole, all wet and ready.

“Levi…” Eren begged, breath hitching at the sensation of drowning in the heat of the alpha’s mouth. His entire body was singing with the fire of heat, begging for relief and on the wrong side of painful already. Levi’s mouth not enough to satisfy his needs, even though he would otherwise enjoy a blowjob and totally get off with it. But his hormones were fucking him up so bad, that a bj wouldn’t be enough of a release for him, obviously, his body refusing to let of steam, as Levi worked him open more hastily by now, two fingers buried up the omega’s ass, scissoring them with every twist of his wrist, while the rest palmed the curve of his ass, kneading the flesh delicately, trailing back to his balls and the shaft of his dick in Levi’s mouth, before repeating. Eren had gone from panting to crying by now, one hand wrapped around Levi’s upper arm, nails digging in deeply. He could hear Levi pulling his mouth off with a wet pop sound, whispering soothingly into his ear, the alpha’s weight pinning him to the bed, reflecting calmness, an anchor in the midst of hormones running wild and the drag of Levi’s fingers in him, that kept up the gentle but urgent pace. Long forgotten was any hazy memory of the discomfort that accompanied his first heat, Eren was simply too lost in the moment and in Levi to even remember why he should be resenting alpha’s.

“I got you, so beautiful, so pretty all laid out and needy for me, Eren.”  Levi whispered hushed, pulling his fingers out slowly and watching Yeager straight out pouting at the loss of friction, as he lined himself up, his own dick rock hard, ready and covered in Eren’s warm wetness, as he stroked himself beforehand to make it easier. Levi couldn’t hold back any longer, his hips moving on their own accord, as he pressed his way in, making Eren gasp at the stretch. His eyes wide, as the head caught on his rim, slipping past the tight, momentarily resenting muscle, making Eren arching his hips up further from the comforter, hands tugging on Levi’s broad backside, urging him to go on. Indeed Levi almost pulled all the way back out, before snapping his hips forward sharply, bottoming straight out and making Eren cry out loud. Probably half the hotel knew by now, what they were up to, if they couldn’t smell it all across the corridor already, but neither of them was about to give a single fuck, too lost in the sensation and drunk on the energy between each other. Alpha and Omega attracting each other until firmly combined, just like every biology book taught them.

Levi’s hand supported Eren’s legs thrown over one shoulder, while the other had a vice grip on his hips, steadying himself as he picked up the tempo, until he was outright pounding into the right winger, fingers splayed out on the abs of him, feeling every contraction of muscle underneath, as Eren’s body almost convulsed under him in time with his thrust and the passion of the moment. Both their bodies running command to their hormones. Eren couldn’t utter anything, that would have made sense anymore, too lost and far gone. He could only hold on, one hand clenched in the sheets roughing them up, tightly balled up linen in the palm of his sweaty hand, the other clawing at Levi’s wrist for support, under the onslaught of rolling hips and the sheer force of the alpha’s slams into his all too willing body. The heat crawling under his skin, curling his insides in a tight ball of promising rush of relief, lighting up his closed eyelids with colorful fireworks on every stroke. Making goosebumps rise all over his skin and the omega shiver in pure delight. Eren was lost to the feeling, not registering how thoroughly he was fucking keening for Levi’s knot to fill the void. It made Levi’s thrust more punctuated, hitting Eren’s prostate full on, until it felt like only pain was keeping the omega away from the edge. Tears clocking Eren’s throat up to a high whistling sound, as he tried to get more of Levi inside himself, legs spreading further to get him to thrust deeper. The alpha shouldn’t hold back for him.

Sweat was dripping from Levi’s hairline, down his cheek and further to his throat, before mingling down his spine. His knees were hurting from the strain of keeping them both up.

“Mon Dieu, Eren!” Levi groaned, blinded by his own need to come, he stilled for a moment, filling the air between them with heavy breathing and Eren’s soft hiccups. He was holding up for the omega#s sake, because if anything this heat would last a few more days and you simply shouldn’t knot someone without their consent, no matter if you are sex crazy with rut or not.

“Nee..eed you.” Eren moaned, sitting up slowly into Levi’s lap, feeling every twitch of Levi’s hard cock deep inside himself.

“Got you.” Levi panted. Eren shook his head, he wanted Levi to understand, so he wriggled off the alpha’s hard length and struggled on his knees and hands, dropping his head between his shoulders to hide the flush creeping higher on his cheeks, by being so on display in front of the alpha.

“Need… all… of you!” Eren begged, as he felt Levi sit up and getting into position behind him, his thick thighs spreading Eren’s legs even wider, as he leaned forward over the smaller omega’s back, one hand curling into the nap of Eren’s neck, stroking unknown patterns in the sweaty strands, while the other hold him upright, whispering gently: “Are you sure Eren, sure you want it like this, all of it?”

“Please!” he groaned in frustration, nudging Levi’s dick with his ass, trying to get back on the ride, his legs shaking underneath his weight, wet with his own slick and his cock angrily leaking precum all over his belly.

“Just tell me to stop, if it gets too much.” Levi ordered, afraid he might have already hurt him, one eye checking over the crumpled up filthy sheets underneath them, for trickles of blood, indicating an injury, but not finding anything at all.

“Just…. gosh, just fucking put your dick back in there and knot me! You controlling Canadian freak show!” Yeager spat in slurred words, not knowing where that came from, but not wondering either, since it got him all he asked for. Levi was filling him all up again roughly, not waiting for any feeling of adjusting, before he plowed into him again, making Eren scream in ecstasy, as he finally felt the edge of Levi’s swollen knot hit his over sensitive hole. His entire body jolting under the force of it, his scent sparking into an even sweeter note than it already carried.

Levi could barely think straight among the red mist of possession, that clouded his mind at Eren’s blant insult, his body working on his own accord at the peak of his rut, as he went to town on the needy omega, getting lost in the zinging sensation of hard friction and wet pulsing heat pulling him further into Eren’s willing body, inviting him inside, swallowing him up.

”God Eren, you’re taking it so good. So good for me. Such a good omega.” Levi babbled in praise, underlining each word with a hard shove of his hips, that made Eren bite his plush lips. Nothing Levi ever encountered could hold up to the delight an omega in heat was.

One hand clenched up in Eren’s brown hair, keeping him away from suffocating himself in the nearest pillow, head hung low and straight out keening, the further Levi’s knot slipped in, before swelling up to an amount, indicating that the rut was about to break and Levi was just seconds away from spilling it all out into the wound up body. Which made Eren’s torso jerk upward in reflex, as Levi bottomed all out and his knot was pressing down on Eren’s prostate brutally,  literally milking every ounce of cum out of Yeager’s dick, in the most intense orgasm the omega ever have had, his brain whiting out for a second or ten - Eren didn’t count, too busy floating on the feeling of bliss and euphoria- his muscles clenching hard around Levi’s cock sending the alpha over the edge along with him, both going down on the messy sheets in a pile of trembling limbs and locked up muscles, breathing heavily and almost hyperventilating in case of Eren. Levi had enough sense to manhandle both of them on their sides, to get more comfortable, because it would at least take 45 minutes, before his knot would go down enough for him to pull out. Another wave taking him under, as he shuddered through his own orgasm, hugging the omega close to his chest. Eren whimpered at the sensation of Levi filling him up again, knowing it was all locked up in him until Levi was done. Not one drop of satisfaction spilled, as Levi continued to fill him up to the brim with cum, making him feel so full it bordered on overwhelming. Eren’s first wave of heat was scattered all over his filthy looking front and he nuzzled back into Levi and the scent of maple leafs happily, tilting his head up in an attempt to lick at the underside of the centers jaw, all pleased. His erection hadn’t gone down, despite the fact that he had just creamed himself up and it was aching slightly. The itch of heat not yet left, as their feet dangled together.

Eren sighed, rubbing his head against the warm skin of Levi’s shoulder. Lust still prominent in his mind.

Levi had his eyes closed, patting Eren’s hair in exhaustion, as he felt him twitch and rub up against his skin, of course the omega was not done yet. He should have known one round of mind blowing sex wouldn’t do the trick - it might do for bonded pairs, who’d been together for long- but they were not bonded and this was Eren fucking Yeager. Levi knew about the circumstances of overall rejected heat, after listening in on the doctor and Eren earlier this season. So of fucking course things couldn't have been easy-going.

He couldn’t find it in himself to deny the omega any further attention, letting his hand slip from the soft hair, to the prominent bone of his jaw, following the strong line to his rose like plump lips, fingertips trailing over the raw bitten, abused skin, feeling Eren eagerly sucking two of Levi’s fingers into his mouth contently. While the alpha’s other hand loosened the hold on Eren’s hip, to start jerking him slowly, giving his full attention to the omega’s neglected cock.

“Going to take care of it all, baby.” Levi murmured in his ear, in between strokes and teasing twists of his hand, that made Eren moan loudly around his fingers.

“Going to make it all better, going to make you feel so good! You’re so good for me. Such a great omega. You deserve all of it. I wish you could see yourself like this, all flushed up and sticky with your own cum. An entire filthy self portrait across your beautiful body.”

“LEVI!” Eren cried, still stuck on the knot and torn between thrusting up into Levi’s fist and sucking on his fingers, feeling every shift of Levi's knot within him, as it kept him in place pressing down on his prostate.

“Come for me Eren, do it!” Levi murmured, all velvet command with a thick layer of alpha above.

Eren moaned loudly and raspy in the back of his throat – voice totally fucked up-, jerking in Levi’s grip, almost choking himself on the alpha’s fingers, as the tingles rushed through his body, spurting a second load of release all over Ackerman’s hand and his tummy. He felt the thrum of heat receding further, as he came back around, but too drowsy to catch up on it.

“I know you’re exhausted Eren. Take a nap if you want to. I’m not going anywhere I promise.” Levi mumbled contently, withdrawing his fingers from the omega's eager mouth, that had gone lax around them. Eren hummed in agreement, his head nuzzling against Levi's throat, as the alpha watched his eyes slid all the way close and his breathing evening out. The tension did drop a notch, but Eren was still radiating heat in an amount, that would have every blizzard back off. Levi used the moment to get some rest himself, all worn out as he was, but not fully asleep either. His ear trained to note every change in the omega's breathing, ready to react if necessary.

Taking a break, also gave Levi time to think rationally, with his rut triggered by Eren’s heat, not blinding his brain any longer and he felt like cursing all over, with a flush of shame tinting his cheeks red like a tomato, the second he felt himself soften enough, to pull out of Eren.

Theoretically, he just wanted to rush into the en suite for a warm washcloth in preparation of round three, or four that might occur as soon as Eren would wake up, but he also needed some time to silently freak out about the fact, that they hadn't used any protection.

How often had his parents lectured him about safe sex, he couldn't count it on one hand, and here he was in a hotel room in Columbus realizing his rut had been so strong and his instincts had betrayed him so badly in the face of Eren's heat, that he totally hadn't used a condom at all. The thought not even registering in his brain before.

Shit!

Fucking shit Shit!

Fucking horse shit!

He knew Yeager was clean, there were enough tests run on both of them to assure him at least that much that picking up an STD was out of the question,, but Yeager had just been in heat and just FUCK!

Levi gave himself a silent peep talk in the mirror, before getting his bearings enough to crawl back in bed next to Eren, making sure to clean him up, as best as he could without waking him, checking that there was enough water on the nightstand for the both of them and the service menu not too far out of reach either. Once the spell would be broken, Eren was probably going to inhale half a cow on his own, to make up for the lost carbs. Levi prayed to god and all the Hockey gods, that he was just overly concerned and nothing had happened, before remembering that Eren had been on suppressants for so long, it was most likely impossible to have caused even just a dent in all the protective enzymes cursing through his system. As soon as he slid in next to Eren, he felt the smaller guy snuggling up to him, one arm hugging around Levi's waist and his face pressed tightly against the alpha's chest, as he kept snoring slightly and clearly still out of it, so Levi dropped his panic strained thoughts right away. However it didn’t stop him from inhaling a lung full of Eren’s scent, not detecting any change to it, which helped settling his nerves further. If Levi's hand was any good of a reliable source the omega’s skin felt less clammy and less hot by now, but maybe he had worried himself sick so much, that his temperature was just for shits. He kept playing with the right wingers soft hair, one hand stroking his back in comfort and tried to stop thinking about everything and nothing at all. His lips finding Eren's soft hair in a small gesture of gratitude - pressing a kiss to the crown of the messy mop. The fact that it was him in bed with the omega, filled Levi with pride of a sort, he never had faced before.

He's mine, all mine. I found him!

The voice low in his soul whispered, with a manic edge to it, but Levi kept ignoring it, like he always did.

He had helped out when needed. He had lent a hand – or his dick for that matter. He took one for the team so to say. He had no right to claim Eren. Still a sense of calm rushed over him, relishing in the fact of thick apple cake scent around him, indicating that Eren the sleeping rapunzel was satisfied and happy and most of all well sated.

Eren could feel the alpha’s warm breath fan the bridge of his nose as he breathed, coming out of the sub drop he had drowned in, after Levi had taken him apart all thoroughly.  He looked up into steel gray eyes drowsily and worn thin from the tool the heat had taken on his body and sighed. Levi seemed to be asleep, reflecting calmness and a steady point in the haphazardly thoughts of Eren’s messed up head. Making the omega feel almost like a child, in comparison to his height. He couldn’t help the small smile gracing his lips, as he shuffled a tiny bit closer, laying his head on the strong alpha’s chest, listening to the steady drum of his captain’s heart.

For the first time ever Eren felt settled, like he belonged, as if he finally had found the place of peace, he always had been looking for.

He remembered the lecture of the doctor, telling him about hormone balance and the effect of heat and suppressants on his heat cycle and despite the fact that his ass was feeling pretty sore and roughed up, and a distant memory of pain, when Levi had first entered him, he was sure he never felt this good, when he had rubbed one out. If he was honest, he still felt lowkey horny and a distant longing, not as intense to get it up again, but he wouldn’t mind getting his mouth fucked either -by Levi of course. Yeah a mouth full of his captain’s dick was suddenly really important to him.

Levi felt Eren stir on his chest, but figured it would be for the best, if he ignored the slight mumble, as the right winger obviously was contemplating stuff with himself. That didn’t stop him from recognizing the way Eren was growing restless again.

“Drink some water first.” Levi grumbled, despite his better judgement. He was still tired and not sure, if he was ready for more to come, but Eren just smirked up at him.

“Drink the water, babe.” Levi insisted, command obvious and watched Eren  obey, before relenting and tugging him down to his own lips again. He got this and he would give his everything to make Eren happy right now.


	11. On our own

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That Deadspin article of course is totally made up by me.

In the end it took two entire days for Eren’s heat to break. Smith was fuming with anger, to put it lightly. Less than impressed that the top players of his team were out for the count. Both of them missed the game and the only good side about not leaving the hotel room for the entirety of 48 hours was room service.

Jean and Langnar had the room across the aisle and took care of their orders in advance and even guarded their teammates, to prevent anyone from disturbing them. Jean stepped up big time as the Alternate captain as well, filling in Levi’s shoes during practice and the game itself. Despite the fact, that the entire team was shaken by the necessary line changes and amount of resulting ice time to be covered, they managed to score two goals, even though they lost and had the Blue Jackets net four goals in comparison. At least they had tried with both of their first liners missing. Jean was proud of their team nevertheless, well apart from coach Smith obviously.

The team had to move on to play Nashville the next day, where they lost in Overtime anyway with 4 to 5 and to Detroit yesterday, where the guys managed to pull a 5 - 3 win before moving on to Calgary and Edmonton, while Levi and Eren remained in Columbus, much to the staff and head boards dismay.

Between all the fucking, feeding and care taking, Levi found 2 or 3 minutes to check both their phones each day, even though he himself was torn and drawn off all energy, he wasn’t complaining about being used by Eren like that. If he was honest, he even liked it. The omega was demanding all his attention and the blissed out feeling of coming down on Levi’s part faded to exhaustion, as if he had played a 60 minutes shift without a break for hydrating. He didn’t even remember, what his freak out had been about the night prior.

The messages on Yeager's phone reached from scowling and dismay to outright hate and discrimination of his dynamic, while all Levi received was a mild: “Sorry to have you miss games, but be assured that we value your commitment to the team.”

Such typical alpha bitching behaviour. Levi deleted most of Eren's messages straight away without telling the right winger, to prevent him from getting upset. The only stuff he didn't check, were texts and voicemails left by their agent, knowing Keith Shadis was an okay kind of dude, who wouldn't insult the omega that paid his wedges and the birthday wishes and random stuff from Eren's sister and billet family. His billet mom had called at least 10 times in obvious worry of Yeager’s lack of response. She probably was a really caring person for all Levi could recall, remembering the conversation he had overheard in the icehouse during training camp. That didn’t give him enough confidence to answer her calls. He felt out of place to go this far, Eren would take care of it, when he came out of his heat daze. At least he could say he fucked right through his 19th birthday. The team would give him so much shit for that.

When Levi woke up on the morning of the second day, when he was supposed to help the team take on Calgary, still curled tightly around his right winger, he felt the drop in body temperature instantly and sighed silently in relief. The worst was over. For all Levi knew Eren felt pretty normal, shifting a little restlessly up against him, nose nuzzling the center’s neck. Ackerman stayed where he was, not daring to move much, as he tucked the blanket higher around Yeager’s shoulders, which made him press up more firmly against Levi, seeking the heat radiating from his body and murmuring sweet dreamy nothings. Levi couldn’t resist and found himself  pressing a soft kiss on the crown of Eren’s messy hair.

“Is cold.” Eren whined, blinking heavily before tumbling halfway out of bed in shock, taking most of the duvet with him in an attempt to hide in it.

“Levi!” he sat on the hotel room floor in awe, high coloured cheeks flushed in embarrassment and eyes ripped open comically wide.

“Happy belated birthday, Eren.” Levi dead panned calmly, not ready to have any of this shit right now. They literally banged each others brains out for the past 48h, there really was no time to freak out about it any longer.

“What the fuck! Oh my god!” Eren muttered, rubbing his face with both of his hands.

“Levi is enough, I am no god. Now stop freaking the fuck out and get back in this fucking bed or take a fucking shower, before I do and waste all the warm water.” Levi smirked, sitting up and swinging his legs over the edge.

“You douche!” Eren shrieked, getting to his feet, flinging the blanket at the alpha and racing him to the bathroom. A warm shower was a good substitute for well cuddling Ackerman again. No way in hell would Eren admit that he liked it, before he was awake enough to register who was in bed with him, there was not much memory left about what they’d done, some fuzzy images and prickling feelings, but if his sticky self was anything to go by, then well - he was so screwed!

Levi had given it to him good, he still felt little tremors deep down in his bones, but nothing he couldn’t ignore. There also was an all satisfying gloom under his skin, replacing the terrible itching he felt before getting into heat haze.

He stepped into the cubicle and hit the tap on just as Levi joined him. Eren was standing motionless under the spray, matting his unruly hair to his forehead gaping at the well toned alpha in front of him. Picasso could go and fuck himself, Levi was goddamn perfect for him!

Not yours! - the voice in his head chided.

“Err…” Eren gulped uncertain, Levi rolled his eyes at him, as he adjusted the temperature, that wouldn’t make the omega shiver within a few minutes and grabbed the shampoo bottle from the little shelf on his left side.

“Stop gaping, turn around and let me wash your hair.” The Canadian coaxed with a little hint of dominance underneath. Eren obeyed instantly, remembering the way Levi’s bed talk had gotten him outright keening, as the images flashed through his mind. His hard drive might be broken in some places, but oh god this just did things to him and he really couldn’t pop a boner right now.

He could hardly believe, he literally let Levi fucking Ackerman fuck him into the new age. Eren smiled at his own pun. Levi’s fingertips felt like heaven on his scalp and he couldn’t help but murmur low in his throat, about how nice it felt to be taken care of. Levi was doing a good job in aftercare, he obviously had attended a few alpha classes in school, because nothing he did felt wrong in any way. Indeed it felt too good to be true, Eren didn’t deserve that and the guilty feeling that his own emotions were blinding him in this moment, were enough to keep himself in check as he leaned further into the alpha’s touch. Seeking the safety Levi provided.

“So good for me Eren, hm.” Levi hummed, as he carefully washed the foam out of the omega’s hair, untangling the brown strands as he went, before soaping him up carefully. Hands wandering over every inch of skin he could reach, with Yeager pressed against his chest, head curled into his neck with eyes closed.

Eren allowed himself to drown in the white noise and easy touches the alpha offered. Finding peace for the moment. Levi obviously was okay with the way half of Eren’s weight leaned on him for support and nothing suggested that he was as freaked out about the past nights as the omega himself.

When Levi had him all wrapped up like a towel burrito, tapping him on his ass to get him to go and get dressed, the distress Eren felt, reared his head again, making the queasy feeling in his stomach more prominent than before. Levi could smell the tinge of change in the omega, closing his eyes briefly. It seemed like they were going back to how it was, before Eren went into heat.

“What’s wrong Eren?” Levi asked carefully, staying on the other side of the room to not frighten the omega further.

“Urgh nothing Laser, just ...yeah just going to get breakfast eh.” Eren tried to joke, his tone not convincing at all. Levi crooked his head to the side, raising one eyebrow questioningly, which prompted Yeager to raise his hands in a protective, but peaceful gesture.

“I mean we are okay, well..we...I mean you are not freaking out or..though… We are okay...aren’t we?” Eren dared to ask, not glancing in Levi’s direction, as he clutched the door handle, ready to bolt, if necessary. He shouldn’t have asked at all.

“Of course we are, Eren.” Levi replied sincerely. “It was my duty and also my honour to help you out. One for the team and all, eh.” Levi tried with a smile, seeing the smile tugging at the omega’s lips fade in an instant.

“Yeah. See you later.” Eren croaked as he turned away, hurrying out of the room, missing out on  Levi’s faint apology, as he tried to back paddle, since his words had obviously upset him. The brat was joking, but couldn’t take a joke himself, it was frustrating for the alpha.

Eren didn’t care, though all this had just been a duty to Levi, which explained a lot, why the captain was so calm the morning after. Eren groaned into his morning coffee.

He should have seen this one coming and it didn’t really help to know, that both of them had to leave for Chicago soon. The team needed them both back, also Eren had to sit out a few games, at least as it was protocol - nothing one of his teammates hadn’t done in the past. He would be lucky, if he was ready to go and cleared for play by November 28th, when they faced Tampa Bay on home ice, after the road trip. It was just precaution to give his muscles a bit of rest and his system time to adjust to the new hormone levels.

Like wow, he didn’t feel any different to what he usually felt like, except for embarrassed as hell, that he hasn't seen it coming on and stayed home. He owned some nice knotting dildos - thank you very much! Instead he got Levi all up in his business now, nice deal for real - if it would come without feelings attached, he should sign the fuck up right now. He actually didn’t agree to those confused feelings, he got this morning after waking up next to Levi Ackerman though, that strong longing to cuddle closer, to touch every inch of skin he could, to drown in his grey steal eyes, to imagine waking up in Levi’s arms every day, to have Levi close, to have him touch and play with his hair and nose the soft skin of his neck - Eren should fucking stop it right the fuck now!

The omega stabbed at his scrambled eggs, he was hungry but he didn’t really feel like eating anything at all, his mind flashing back to one moment of  Levi feeding him pieces of banana and strawberries in between their sexual workout - all throughout calm, composed like he owned it, like fucking Eren’s brains out was on his daily agenda anyway, right next to his ridiculous workout hours and the penciled down Mario Kart appointments, ice time, prep and team debriefs, neatly organized in his Iphone’s calendar, just to make double sure of course.

“YEAGER!” Levi ordered, forcing the omega to look up startled by the alpha’s presence. “Stop thinking! Now eat up, okay. Plane leaves in three hours. I already got us packed up and called a cab.” Levi said, taking a mouthful of his own coffee. Eren squirmed in his seat at the order, hating every second of Levi addressing him like this and seeing his instincts taking over, as he obeyed, clearly following the command, afraid to get Levi angry for going against his wish - where did he come from so suddenly anyway, popped up like one of those mushrooms in Mario64. The alpha was probably in a hurry to get back home, so he could join the team in Edmonton the upcoming day or at least in Vancouver on the 25th November.

Eren pouted for a moment, what if he wanted to have cake for breakfast? He missed his birthday after all, why was Levi so bossy anyway?

The alpha rewarded him with a pleased hum in the back of his throat, as they both finished their breakfast silently. Eren was just glad Levi didn’t attempt to take his hand across the table, or even worse made him kneel beside his seat and feed him, like the tradition usually ordered them to do.

The center couldn't help but notice the change within Eren's scent, the sweet apple cake flavor almost gone and covered by the usually sting of a rainy evening. It made the alpha slightly sad as well, Eren had been happy and content with Levi during his heat obviously, but was avoiding him all the same, once the hormones left his system for good, so it was himself who made him feel uncomfortable in the first place, the alpha concluded.

Ackerman knew he had to work harder, had to do better, anything to keep the omega happy and the team balanced.

“I wish I could reward you with some birthday cake, but time is tight Eren. Also cake is not a part of your meal plan.” Levi said, ushering them out to the already waiting cab. Eren ignored the sidemark. Levi could go fuck himself, it wasn’t his place to decide what he ate and what not. He would eat an entire fucking cake, as soon as he got home, if he felt like it and there was nothing Ackerman could do about it.

Eren followed Levi's lead, for as long as it took them both, to get to the airport and as they boarded and it became clear that they wouldn't sit in the same aisle, hell not even in the same class! - those alpha board dicks had booked Eren into the economy class, while Levi was lead further down to the 1st class seats by the nice blonde beta stewardess - he could see Eren shutting him out further. The omega dropped in his small seat, barely managing to get his legs into the cramped space at the window. Watched him curling in on himself, head facing out of the window and eyes hidden behind sunglasses, while the rest was halfway buried in the pulled up hood of his hoodie.

It almost caused the Canadian physical pain, making his own scent shift from maple to citron in an instant. The teams head board was such a bunch of cooksuckers, it pissed him off. Eren did not deserve to be treated like that.

Levi wished he could change something, not only for Eren, but for all Omega’s, his mind going through all sort of ideas, while he settled in his seat.

Eren fiddled with his cell before take off, wondering why there wasn’t more commotion about his heat related absence going on, he was expecting a half blown up cell, cramped with messages, voicemails and social notifications, instead it seemed oddly okay like on any other business day, so he went on leaving a few texts to his sister and his out of her own mind, concerned billet mom, explaining the situation briefly and thanking them for their birthday wishes. Even Mike Zacharias had taken time during his season in Detroit to check in with him; to see his chosen families open support and well wishes soothed the edges of that raw feeling of hurt inside him for the moment, allowed him a few moments of rest, while they flew back to Chicago.

Eren was far from okay, all those other peoples scents were confusing him, his brain searching for Levi’s unique sort of maple leaf underneath the mass of pheromones to no avail, keeping him on the edge of his seat for most of the flight, but he could deal for the time being. At least as long as it would take him to get home. When they touched down, he was out of his seat, as fast as he could, to get off the airplane, eyes tracking the other staircase without a hint of his team captain. Ackerman by all luck was probably long gone and on his way home, or all responsible on his way straight to the United center to report to the head office.

It didn’t really help to take the edge off, as Eren stumbled into baggage claim with sinking shoulders, the emptiness once again putting a lid on his mood, making him more aware of the lonely feeling blossoming in his chest, pushing him to hurry up and get to his apartment. It still took him 30 minutes of waiting to spot his suitcase. The duffle was thankfully still with their team. Indeed the omega felt tired and worn down to his bones. He pushed his sunglasses further up his nose and pulled the hoodie a few inches deeper down his face, avoiding to look at people directly, to not raise attention and hurried out as fast as he could, grabbing the first cabbie he could find to get his ass home. He silently was praying that no one knew about their return. But then again, stuff had been deliberately quiet the past days, if his cellphone was a trustworthy source - little did Yeager know about Levi’s clean up of said device.

For a second Eren was convinced he had seen Levi waiting for his baggage as well, but that probably was just an imagination and even if, there hardly was anything Eren could have done, because running up to the alpha, burying his face burning with shame into his neck in public view, was out of his league and out of question. Levi considered him a job done, so much of the message had come through at least. 

The alpha probably had been given the normal procedure, Mike had told him about in all detail, when Eren was still playing in the OHL. So Levi got his stuff and passport control over and done with right after checking into the terminal for business class anyway, so it wouldn’t make any sense for him to wait right where Eren had been stranded, next to the family from 4 rows ahead with their two noisy kids and their non stop crying infant. Eren really liked kids usually, but right now his nerves were as thin as the sheet of ice he used to play on. He just wanted to go home so he did exactly that.

As Eren was finally able to shut the front door of his apartment behind himself, his purr rumbled out of his chest right on cue, as if it had been waiting to fill the air and make its presence known. It was almost physically painful to let the sound pass over his lips, from holding it in for so long. His chest seemed to ache and he hardly could get air into his lungs, as he felt himself letting go and dropping right into his bed, leaving his suitcase abandoned in the hallway, as tears started to wet his pillow case.

He missed home, someone to lean on, he wanted a hug, he wanted everything right the fuck now!

Anything to fill this emptiness, that was clawing away at his insides, tinting everything black as it went to consume him and his soul whole.

He remembered Dr. Zoe telling him about empty nest syndrome and nest related depression and all those other things, that came along, when your hormones hit a peak, but he was Eren Yeager! He had hockey, he didn’t need a nest, he didn’t need any nesting or home building family shit and he didn’t need anyone - he had no one, his family had abandoned him. He was a big boy now, he could swallow up his misery and kick some team’s ass, while on the ice. He was perfectly content with that, he didn’t need anything else and he really didn’t need Levi Ackerman or his stupid maple scent.

It took Eren barely 5 minutes to work himself into a rage, he never knew he held, or was capable of before. He was mad and lonely and he wanted the scent of maple leafs and he wanted Levi, but he couldn’t have any of this. He hated himself for wanting it so much too and by the time frustration hit and his tears had dried, Eren hit dial on his phone and rang his billet mom, to complain about, how unfair the world was to him. Nanaba might help, she was the closest to family, except Faye he had and calling Faye was out of option - he was the older brother! No fucking way would he go crying on his younger sister's shoulder for being the fuck up he was.

Nanaba didn’t answer, before the call connected to voicemail and for the first time Eren didn’t leave a message.

What if they were sick of him by now?

What if Nanaba would call him childish?

What if he already crossed a line?

The thoughts piling on top of each other in Eren's head were frightening, pushing him into a full out sobbing fit of anxiety. God he was such a mess, his feelings were all over the place and with the hiccups and sniffles Eren lost count of time, until his eyes shut close in exhaustion, allowing him some peaceful sleep for a while. He was too tired to fight the drag of darkness calling his name.

Of course Nanaba called him back, as soon as she could the next morning, which at least helped a bit. She didn’t pry for details nor pushed for them, but offered advice regardless - like any good mom would. She gave him a rundown on what to expect in the next 2 days, nothing that was all too scary, except for the bleeding that could occur sometimes. Bleeding, like seriously? That was the only thing scaring the shit out of him. Nothing Eren couldn’t handle, he had enough Advil and Tylenol in his kitchen to sedate a horse for good measure and about the pads he didn’t have in stock, because why the fuck should he ever need those. If he had known, he would need them anytime soon, he would have stocked up his closet, but he wasn’t dating any girls - Hell! - He wasn’t dating anyone, so why bother - towels would do the job for sure. And Eren would make fucking sure he wouldn’t need to go into heat all too soon again, because he wouldn’t go out buy this stuff - way too embarrassing.

He might as well should go and see the doctor today, but he couldn’t bother to move much.

So Eren found himself sipping ginger tea to help his slightly unsettled and occasionally cramping stomach, while cuddling a dozen of pillows and being wrapped up like a burrito in his blankets, with a few old towels spread out across the linen underneath him. Just a precaution, because those cramps were really nailing him in the guts. Eren was following some daytime TV, before taking a long hot shower, just to crawl back in his blankie nest afterwards.

It was not ideal - it certainly wasn’t Levi, but it was enough to help him settle and regain the grasps of his rational mindset. It made him feel better, but he still muttered: “God this shit sucks ass!” under his breath at a particularly evil stomach cramp. He was not bleeding yet and he was quite certain he wouldn’t start to in the upcoming 24h, that stuff was evil enough without adding blood into the mix - thank you very much! But ow fucking ouchie, he really was thinking about calling the doctor just to make sure, if this was “normal”, despite Nanaba telling him it was. Nanaba was a girl, for all Eren knew, girls were bleeding every other week anyway for whatever reason. Okay he didn’t really know, because fuck biology anyway - he sucked in this class spectacularly in particular.

After some more naptime around lunch, Eren felt composed enough to face the current team situation, while he grabbed his laptop from his suitcase, that he had managed to drag into his bedroom by now. If he had to stay home and deal with his stupid irrational feelings, instead of playing beautiful hockey, he could at least keep tabs on the stats and his team's progress. That he ended up asking Google all sort of shit about “Omega’s after heat” at first, was just for educational purposes - even though it didn’t really help him to understand, with all the complicated terms about pregnancy, in the word vomit goggle showed him - before he took a look on the stat sheets and their recent slump in scoring. He couldn’t help but scan over some of the press coverage as well.

And that’s, when it hit him right in the fucking face, The Chicago Tribune had covered their road trip pretty fairly, but Eren didn’t miss the lash out to Deadspin, who were running their mouth with an article about him, that was obviously going viral, considering the comment numbers, shares and favourites it got.

He really shouldn’t read his own press, but he needed to know, so he clicked the link anyway, trying to breathe through whatever shit that he would meet. Deadspin wasn’t the best source of all anyway, just Gossip juice - no one should care about. He shouldn’t care about it at all, but he did! He couldn’t help himself and whatever message chimed on his cellphone on the nightstand, was forgotten the moment the headline hit him in the face.

* * *

 

**Eren Yeager coming home after a lover’s trip with his Team captain**

 

_**Author:** Jack Dickey _

_ Friday 11/23/07 3:05pm _

_**Filed to:**   _ EREN YEAGER

 

**A** fter all the juice given at the 2007 NHL Entry draft day, we already covered, it obviously didn’t take Chicago Blackhawks rookie Eren Yeager long to hit up with his needs, that didn’t involve money for luxury apartments in Trost Tower, as we brought to you last month. What a conscience, that it appears to involve unbonded alpha and Captain Serious himself -  **Levi Ackerman** .

While the Canadian native team leader is known for his closet lifestyle, the rookie obviously couldn’t wait to hop on for the sake of the team. Brown evil hair do and green eyes wooing the alpha, just before they were supposed to hit the road.

Given the Blackhawks release from the 14th November: stating both  **#25** and  **#33** wouldn’t play due to illness, that never went further specified, except for the coach saying: “We need to take it from day to day in both cases.”

And resulted in sending the original six-team on a losing streak, during their still ongoing road trip, that comes to an end in Edmonton tomorrow night, we got news on the mystic illness, that so suddenly descended on Chicago’s Omega rookie and our most favorite center.

So buckle your seatbelts ladies and gentleman, it might get a little  **HOT** in here now - Yes exactly, according to sources from the team’s hotel, both Yeager and Ackerman shared a room, that obviously needed a lot of cleaning up and airing out after. We can confirm pretty certain, that Captain Serious took one for the team, helping his new liney to deal with a sudden heat.

So after a proper fun night in, with and properly on our Canadian dream boy in Columbus, both returned to their homebase Chicago yesterday afternoon, as captured in the pictures below, taken at O’Hare around 4 p.m. Both were seen leaving separately and if you look closely, satisfied doesn’t really match Laser Levi’s face on there. Indeed he seemed rather distracted and pissed off, witnesses told us.

Couldn’t be all too fun, if you miss a game for gambling and need to stick it out with an omega, if you ask us. But the C on his chest comes with duty and responsibility for everyone.

We all remember Ackerman’s consistent comments about  proper bonding and love , we suppose Eren Yeager wasn’t in his cards.

**If you know more, or have anything to add, hit up the comments below,**

Let’s hope the Captain finds his footing again, to lead his team out of the slump and back to Hockey, before another stove is on fire. We’ll keep you updated if Yeager’s booty calls are dialing again, to justify his place on the roster and settle him down in Chi-town.

************

* * *

 

It was accompanied by two grainy photos of him and Levi leaving the airport yesterday. The words tasted bitter, as he mouthed along while reading, making him feel sick to his stomach and the bile rising up his throat, sending Eren stumbling out of his bed and into his bathroom, in record time to throw up.

The author’s message clear for everyone to see. Omega’s should stay at home, omega’s shouldn’t compete in national sports, unless they were bonded and what else.

Hate, that’s what it was. The familiar feeling he was facing, ever since he continued playing Hockey after his transition.

You are too small Eren, you are too omega Eren, you are not bulky enough Eren, not fast enough Eren.

He sighed, washing out his mouth at the sink, before climbing back into bed, shutting down the laptop and cuddling into his pillow nest.

Eren’s phone beeped again, making him sigh and roll over to grab for it. There was an angry looking urgent message symbol right next to Levi’s contact. How the fuck got the alpha’s number into his contacts? He never asked the captain for it.

“Could this day get any worse?” Eren muttered, opening his text messages.

 

**Levi:** It’s me Levi.

**Levi:** Avoid the internet.

**Levi:** Don’t read your own press for your own well being!

 

Eren was tempted to just ignore it, but he was exhausted and cranky, so he quic kly answered:

 

**Eren:** too late-o, also WTF dude, lemme fuckin' sleep!

 

Before setting the device to silent mode and pushed his head under the striped pillow next to his head. Fuck Levi, fuck everything seriously. Also fuck feelings just for good measure. Eren closed his eyes imagining plays in his head, but soon stopped, it was giving him a headache from hell. This after heat sucked so much, he wanted to scream, if it wouldn’t be so loud. Getting banged into the next universe was great, he couldn’t argue with that, but the after effects were for shit. He could go without those. At least he was left feeling a little proud of himself for telling Ackerman to fuck off. The alpha was properly pissed off right now and he wouldn’t see his stupid mug all too soon. For the first time Eren was a little glad, that Levi had to play the last game of their road trip. It would keep the alpha occupied and give himself a little more alone time, to get his confused feelings under wraps. He really didn’t need to be all awkward around Levi in the locker room at his next game day, the chirping he was expecting was enough to give him nightmares.


	12. Punishment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned out to focus more on Levi's POV, I hope you don't mind. Thanks to everyone for being this patient with me. I'm literally figuring shit out as I go atm, so this takes a bit more time than I thought it would. Also get ready I feel bad for not posting on Wednesday so I might post another chapter tomorrow too. I'm trying to make it up to you.

In the end it took Eren only 2 days of feeling like death warmed over, before he felt ready to face the music. Thankfully his body had foregone the bleeding, leaving him only in uneasiness for the most part, so the trainers and the doctor were clearing him for practice.

Getting back on the ice felt like second nature and apart from some weird looks by his teammates, the chirping he had expected anyway - his captain seemed back to his usual asshole self. Not that Eren was bothered by it much, but having “normal” Levi back, was easier than having to deal with mother hen Levi I’m - such - a - good - alpha  on a daily basis after their encounter. It didn’t take him long to settle back into his routine. But when he returned, it didn’t take the Board of Directors long either to call him up into the office, to discuss his “escapades”. Eren had just stepped out of the shower, when Coach Smith barked at him to hurry up and follow. It made him flinch and his eyes water in an instant, he felt like crying already, not knowing what he’d done wrong this time around. Since Pixis was gone, he just couldn’t fit in with the coaching staff at all. And since going into heat, he was an emotional mess anyway.

The eyes of his team were on him immediately, as Eren hurried into his clothes, to avoid attracting even more interest. His shoulders slumped as he followed his head coach to the offices of the Board of Directors, glad when he was left there with a curt nod. He just wished they would have held practice at Levi’s icehouse, far away from the Board of Directors, but they didn’t with the game later that night and to his dismay. It was bad enough to get chewed out for his performance, facing the front office, was the worst of evil for everyone, at least they trusted him enough, that he could knock at the door all by himself. Maybe he hasn’t fucked up all too bad, if he was still left to do this on his own. There were stories from former times, when others were facing a disciplinary order, that left them at the mercy of everyone, not even allowed to knock on a damn door by themselves.

He took a deep breath, before knocking on the thick wood and waited to be let in, keeping his head down, eyes fixed on his shoes.

“Come on in, Yeager.” The General manager said, opening and stepping aside to let him enter. Eren followed the request, hated the way everybody was launching in their armchairs around the big oval meeting table, as if this was the most exhausting thing to do all week. Sometimes Eren wondered, if any of them ever received suicide drills, had back skated for hours until feeling like their legs would be dislocated from their bodies - he doubted it.

His eyes stopping for a brief second on the last chair, in it sitting was his captain - Levi Ackerman - usually, there was no need for the team’s captain to join in on the Board of Directors gathering, if it wasn’t an official penalty conduct. Eren’s heart missed a couple of beats, as he registered the alpha’s around him. Maybe he had messed up big time after all? If Levi was joining, but he hadn’t enough time to get more lost in his thoughts, as the Manager addressed him again.

“Down Yeager. Kneel down.” Eren was filled with disgust at the order. He didn’t want to go down without a fight, so he dared to raise his head, looking the manager straight in the eye.

“I don’t…” he started to explain, but was cut short, with the most dark glare he ever faced and half the board on their feet in a sudden eruption of rage.

“KNEEL DOWN!” The alpha barked angrily, the air so tense you could cut it with a knife. Levi was the only one still sitting, the only one who looked rather hurt than pissed off. The only one not losing his cool in the room.

Eren gritted his teeth, could feel himself slipping away, feeling the pull of the comment, his instincts yelling at him to obey and follow. He had done nothing wrong, why should he fuck up his knees on the goddamn carpet? Half the Board of Directors was in an uproar, people shouting over each other. The room felt like it was set on fire, air around him suddenly radiating heat like a furnace, making him sweat, making his skin crawl and his chest feel tight, his throat feeling blocked up to the amount, that it hurt to breathe. It hadn't been his intention to make them mad, he just tried to be polite enough, without submitting to someone he wasn't bonded to, traditions be damned. Eren saw shit like that differently and so far, no one had thrown such a fit like the heads of his organisation right now.not even Mike had been fussing about it.

He was respectful, always careful and never kneeled except out in public for official procedures, like his drafts, when alpha’s were present.

“I came here to…” Eren tried again to get a word in, to explain himself, with all the commotion going on.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP NOW! NO ONE ASKED YOU OMEGA! ON YOUR KNEES!” another one ordered loud and clear, the owner, a coach Eren didn’t remember the name of, at that moment with his mind going fuzzy from running a mile a minute. The comment felt like a slap to the face, humiliation hitting him like a bucket of ice cold water, making his scent shift from unease to terror so fast, it almost made Levi recoil in his seat, as he noticed it, sharp, unpleasant, all consuming like ripe chili peppers.

“DOWN YEAGER! DON’T YOU DARE MOVE!” The GM ordered firmly, but emotionless.

“FUCKING OMEGA, HAS NO RESPECT AT ALL!” someone else spat, driving the knife of shame another inch deeper.

“SHOULDN’T EVEN BE PLAYING WITHOUT A MATE TO GUIDE HIM.” another one muttered in disgust.

“Told you, we shouldn't have wasted the first draft on a pathetic unbonded omega with no manners, all they are good for is sucking cock and breeding kids. I bet he's barren and can't even conceive, no wonder his parents kicked him out Nile. The Zacharias played you well, for taking him on as the captain’s entertainment.” The guy next to Nile muttered, while glaring at Eren in utter disgust. With just a few feet separating them, Eren could understand him perfectly fine and even though he pretended to not listen in on the hurtful things they spat, the words managed to sink in deep, hitting home with such an impact, he only felt seconds away from drenching the carpet with the Gatorade, he’d had during practice, throat working overtime to hold it in.

Eren’s knees buckled and gave in as he sunk to the floor, head bowed to hide the tears in his eyes, nausea rolling in his gut. This was the worst meeting ever, hearing the board refer to his parents like that was the final blow, that made his protest die on his lips. He was feeling so worthless from these comments jabbing away at his pride, he could barely contain the tears pushing forward, begging to be released. So all he could do, to keep his composure was to retreat further into himself, until everything going on around him just reached barely, as if someone wrapped him up in a comforting, noise blocking fog.

“You better stay put!” Someone else hissed violently, making Eren shiver with fear. They wouldn't dare to do anything to him, they couldn't - not with Levi in the room and everybody else of the team around. Of course he had heard stories from other teams in the league and their method to establish discipline by punishment, with the Boston Bruins leading the subject of rumours. But the actual proof was still missing, though the NHL wasn’t taking action, nor actually caring about the rumors at all.

“It’s enough now Nile!” Levi’s voice echoed through the little office, carrying every ounce of mated alpha and power so strong and demanding, it made some of the other alphas in the room spun their heads in Ackerman’s direction in surprise. Levi was so done with their shit and he couldn’t hold back his anger any longer.

 

“Ackerman!” Nile’s voice carried a warning, a clear sign to back off, but Levi ignored it all the same. They could all go and fuck themselves for all he cared by now, but didn’t say.

“This was supposed to be a pep talk, as far as I was informed. So give it to him. If he kneels or stands for that matter is not important. You’re all creating an unnecessary drama. And if you don’t find it in yourselfs to give a normal message, without losing your traditional asses - I will do it! At least no one is going to freak out then.” Levi spoke up, voice growing more fierce the longer he talked. By now he was standing right next to Eren, one hand, pressed onto the omega’s shoulder, trying to offer protection and ease.

Levi’s maple scent was blocking up most of Eren’s oxygen input, but kept him from shaking apart in fear. The hand on his shoulder was shocking him at first, startling him out of his self induced stupor, but he soon recognized his team captain, not bothering to listen to what he had to say. Maybe Levi was signing away all his rights to the Board of Directors and would abandon him the next moment, Eren wouldn’t know.

Levi’s presence was big enough to make a dent, most of the guys shuffling back to their respective seats at the meeting table and flopping down, still mumbling slightly, leaving Levi and nile Dawk the only ones left standing to face off, with Eren kneeling next to his team’s captain.

“Levi, you know…” the GM failed to express what was lying on the tip of his tongue, Levi’s death glare was piercing him, even a little intimidating, with the few inches the other alpha had on him.

“I know, that all of you act like a bunch of dickheads. I know, that you are stuck with your heads deep in tradition, as it is and that you might even get a fuck out of it, but this is the rink! This is about hockey! This is not politics and it isn’t any of your businesses, how any of us are dealing with certain situations. I know, that you are just riled up, because we are not reacting like everyone else around you, every little trained puppy you have is made to please you and your requirements, but we are no such puppies! We are hockey players! We are fucking humans!” Ackerman growled.

“Levi! You know, that we pay your asses!” Nile finally grits out, when he has a chance to get a word in.

“As if I wouldn’t know, but just because you are paying for us to bring this original six team back to its former glory, it doesn’t entitle you to belittle any of us, for whatever fucking reason there is! I dare you to talk to any of the other omega’s on the team like that! You would never even dream about it, because you knew, their bond mate would go and have your fucked up head! So much for tradition, eh? Anyone else having anything to tell me, about how to run my fucking team? What priorities to set with the rest of the guys? If you think making an example out of the rookie, will get your ego’s brushed, you need to get past me! You might be paying my check at the end of the month, but it also means, you wouldn’t have anything to pay us with, if we wouldn’t PLAY for you! Make money for you! Who is putting up out there? It’s my team, my guys fighting, getting bloody, while you sit here in your plush chairs, throwing around numbers to please yourself. It’s us getting the shit out there! It’s us getting your pays, your fame. It’s us who make you match ends at the end of each season! So don’t you fucking tell me about responsibility or respect!” Levi yelled.

 

“The manners you guys have on ice weren’t subject of the situation at all, and while this might be your team for the moment Ackerman, it still means an unbonded omega needs guiding and some rules.” One of the suits pipes back, in the middle of Levi’s glare up with the General Manager.

“Have you even listened to your own fucking bullshit! I am guiding this team just fine and all of them follow the rules. Eren did nothing wrong in my eyes and yet you order him in here and disgrace him like that. Does it get you hard, undermining someone without backup? Does it turn you on, to use your dynamic to fuck up someone else, who has no one to come home to? Just because we don’t come in here sucking your cocks, it doesn’t mean, that we don’t show respect. Yeager came in here with his head bowed in respect, without any arrogance or cockiness, not even giving any words back and if you would have given him a chance to explain himself, you would have known, that he never ever kneels for anyone. And he doesn’t even need to! This is 2008 and not the fucking middle ages! He showed you enough of respect by the way he relented in front of you, so fight me on it!” Levi spat, stepping a few feet forward, his hand slipping from Eren’s shoulder, as he braced himself in front of the clearly distressed omega, shielding him from the rest of the alpha’s in the room.

“Eren is on my team and this means, he’s part of my family, my pack and it doesn’t matter, if he has a mate to me, because I will have his back, because this is my duty to my pack! So fucking watch me!” Levi threatened, getting into fighting stance. He would take them all on, if it meant to keep any harm from coming his right wingers way. Hell, he would even destroy half the furniture of the room to get his point across, just pure willpower kept him from actually taking the meeting table and smashing it against the wall for emphasis.

“Enough, drop it now!” Nile addressed his team of alpha’s, turning back with hands hold up placating calmness towards the enraged center.

“Now Nile Dawk, wasn’t there something to talk about left, something you had to tell Eren?” Ackerman said with controlled calm, for the first time recognizing how worked up he had gotten in the process. Some of the guys, were eyeing him suspiciously, others were just plain right ignoring him, muttering among themselves, which made Levi fume and glare daggers at them.

“Eren Yeager!” Nile said, voice plain and rather emotionless. Eren almost meowed in distress at being spoken to, all of his instincts telling him to flee from the room and get somewhere safe. Somewhere, where he could curl up in a tiny ball and purr to himself, until he was ready to face reality again - which felt like miles and miles away.

“We have decided to suspend you from any team activities until February 14th, as a result of the disaster and hold up in game you caused us, on the latest road trip. You will check in with the team doctors on the regular as always, but other than that, you will stay home and take the time to think about your mistake and how to prevent it from happening again. You can go now.” Nile turned his back on them, while Levi turned around to help Eren to his feet. He wasn’t even sure, if the omega had processed any of the information given to him at all, by the way his eyes were clearly dilated from the dynamic shifts and implied fear during the meeting.

“Come on Eren. I’ll drive you home. Get up buddy.” Levi soothed, guiding him out of the room, with a supporting arm around the shaking omega’s waist, but he couldn’t resist throwing the door shut, just for good measure. Fuck the Board of Directors and all the alpha’s on it. An idea was meanwhile forming in the back of his mind, how to deal with stuff like this in the future. Maybe it was worth giving Eld Crosby a ring to brainstorm on it.

Ackerman wasn’t prepared for what would meet him outside the office, as he stepped into the hallway, with Eren clinging to his side.

Coach Smith was standing there, his well trimmed hair a little messed up, fringe falling down into his eye, eyes big as plates and a couple of the guys were milling around too. All in different states of awe and concern on their face, as soon as they laid eyes on Eren’s hunched stature.

“Good speech captain.” Reiner said, face earnest, with Bertolt pressed up against him, looking at Eren with eyes full of tears. It was evident the omega could feel the distress coming off his teammate. As well as Armin who took a tentative step forward with Jean in tow.

“You did the right thing Ack.” Horseface mumbled, giving Levi’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“Is he okay?” Armin asked, voice wobbly and uncertain, since Dietrich was sent down to the AHL, he had trouble keeping it together anyway, so Kirschtein had taken the younger guy under his wing.

“He will be fine coconut. Cap is going to take care of him, don’t you Levi?” Jean said, a challenge in his gaze. Levi glared at the left winger, what kind of question was that even?

“Sure.” the Canadian said, nodding to everyone around, as he tugged Eren along with him, getting their duffels. He felt bad for leaving Eren in the hallway, as he ducked into the locker room to retrieve their duffels, but the omega wasn’t alone. Jean and Reiner were lingering outside with him, everyone glancing back to the front office corridor, as if expecting any of the suits to turn up and start a fuss all over again. Levi’s words were still ringing in their ears. They all might be bonded, but Eren was part of the family, part of the pack like Levi had made clear, though they all felt the urge to look after the kid, to protect him at all costs. Armin was snuggling up to Eren, who didn’t seem to mind, clearly still out of it and not really listening to the soothing words the younger kid whispered to him, but needing it all the same. Levi smiled at Arlert thankfully, when he returned. Seeing the team react to his speech, even though he didn’t intended for them to hear, what he had to say, was making him feel proud. He wanted Eren to feel welcomed and not just like a passenger tagging along. He meant all he said in this damn fucking office and deep down he knew, there might be even more truth than he let on, but he was not addressing any of this at that moment. Now taking care of Eren was his first priority, as it been a lot lately. Eren made him feel needed and that was really confusing all Levi ever believed in. Of course there always was a certain pull with an unbonded omega close, but having Yeager close was something entirely different, something more important than the regular I care for my teammates stuff.

Eren didn’t put up any fight, as Levi opened the passenger door for him, after making it out to the car park.

“You’re okay with me giving you a ride? I think you shouldn’t be alone right now.” Levi asked, just to make sure and to give Eren an out, if he wanted to. The omega barely managed to nod, not really wanting to let go of Levi, but needed to, as the alpha closed the door, before hurrying around the car to get into the driver's seat.

The drive over to Trost Tower didn’t take too much time and was spent in silence. Levi didn’t even bother to turn the radio on, just sighed and let his hand linger on the middle console closer to the omega, in case he needed something to hold on to. Levi tried to imagine what life would be like without his parents, without Kuchel and Kenny and it made him shudder. When that asshole in the office used that information to shame Yeager, Levi had literally seen red. It must be hard on the right winger and it made Levi realize how much the omega clearly depended on his billet family, so now being away from them, playing in the NHL all on his own, must be pressure beyond comparison, if you had no one to face it with. Levi wanted to be there for him, wanted to face all those things with him, all the obstacles.

BECAUSE HE’S MINE! His alpha nature didn’t fail to remind him off.

When they made it up to Yeager’s floor, Eren seemed a little more collected, as when they’d left the United Center, but not by much, so Levi opened the front door for him and watched the brunette, kick off his shoes, before waddling over into, what he assumed was his bedroom, if his memory was not making fun of him right now. The sigh and soft purr following the initial thud of Eren dropping onto his bed, confirmed that.

“Do you want me to stay or want me to leave you alone?” the raven asked, but Eren didn’t bother to respond, so Levi took it up on himself, to dart over into the kitchen and get him some Gatorade, before settling on the edge of the bed, where Eren had rolled himself up in a blanket burrito, most of his face hidden.

“I’m sorry, they kicked you out like that Eren. You deserve so much better and I promise you, I will work on something, to help you get back on the ice faster, to work on something to stop them from doing this.” Levi murmured, petting, what he assumed was Eren’s back hidden in the blanket burrito.

“Will you?” Eren sniffled after a moment of silence, he was crying, but obviously didn’t want Levi to see, but it was noticeable in his voice anyway.

“I will smol titan, I promise you.” Levi said all earnest, settling in next to the little omega burrito, before gently nudging him closer and hugging him. Fuck the blanket, he just wanted to offer comfort, so he made sure to not let his own sadness dampen his scent.

Eren sniffled some more, before, opening his blanket nest up a little, allowing himself to settle his head in Levi’s lap, eyes bright green, red rimmed and questioning, blinking up at the alpha.

Levi smiled reassuringly, letting his fingers trail into Eren’s soft hair, scraping his head a little. They stayed like that for some time, until Levi offered the Gatorade up to him, that had sat abandoned on the dresser.

“Get hydrated, Eren, because I’m going to not give a fuck on all orders and beat your ass at Mario Kart, and if you want, I would suggest you could call your billet mom. But if you don’t want me to be here, while you do this, I would understand. I could go pick up dinner in the meantime. Does that sound like a plan?” Levi asked, while Eren finished, draining half of the tonic drink.

“Would you? It’s Taco day...” Eren trailed off.

“Jesus, Yeager I would even get you a Happy Meal, if it would make you smile.” Levi laughed, untangling his legs from the omega.

“So you would go get me McDonalds, if I’d asked?” Eren questioned, eyes crinkling in a smirk. “What if I want a burger now, Levi?” He teased.

“If you want I would let you get away with it.” No one cares, since you are out for the next few weeks anyway, is what he doesn’t say.

“Nah, Taco’s sound good. Surprise me alpha.” Eren smiled, rolling a bit around on his bed spreading his scent. He clearly was content right now, that hint of apple cake was back in his scent and it made Levi’s chest feel tight with pride.

“Okay. Go ahead. You rest and do all you need to do, while I go and sort out dinner Yeager. You’ve got about half an hour. Or do you need more?”

“Is fine.” Eren said, shooing Levi out of the room with one hand, before he rolled back in his burrito shape.

The alpha felt relief float his system, as he grabbed his car keys and made it out the door, catching Eren whispering on the other end of the hallway, so he was obviously doing as Levi suggested and already on the phone to Detroit.

On the ride to grab dinner, he had time to check a couple of texts on his phone, at a red stop light that took forever to turn. Most of his teammates wanted to check upon Eren and he quickly replied to everyone in a mail, saying that the omega was holding up so far and he would take things from there, along with a quick thanks for the support. By the time Levi hit sent, the car behind him was honking at him, because he missed the damn traffic light turning and was holding everyone up. He hurried up and picked up their Tacos, even getting Eren’s special, that he usually would only get on cheat days, but today called for drastic measures. So Levi stopped once more to get Ben and Jerry's ice cream, not sure what Eren preferred, he simply went with Vanilla Caramel Fudge, nothing could go wrong with that. With it being Fair Trade and economic friendly eggs and all and if for whatever reason Yeager didn’t like it, Levi could still take it home.

When Ackerman returned, Eren looked a lot better and the ice cream made him beam like a loon. So they eventually settled down, with their food and played a bunch of Mario Kart, until late and Levi really didn’t want to go home, but figured he better do, until Eren dared to ask him to stay over.

The minute Levi started making excuses to leave, he could literally see Eren closing off again, all sad eyes and getting silent, so the alpha stopped in the door, looking back at him, eyes gentle, as if to prod him to just say it.

“You know smol titan, I told you, you could have everything.” Levi said slowly, watching Eren fidget on the bed, before uncurling a bit, eyes a deep teal bordering on blue.

“Would you mind...like could you...stay over maybe.” Eren whispered, long lashes fanning out over his delicate cheekbones. Levi couldn’t contain his soft laughter, turning back, shoulders relaxing without further ado, as he smiled down at the omega. Yeager didn’t even complain about his newly acquired nickname, the team only used behind his back so far.

“I can. Like where you thinking about me crashing on the couch?” Eren’s gaze snapped up at that sharply.

“No you’re not sleeping on that precious asshole couch.”

“I’m having the exact same looser couch Yeager. I know it’s plenty comfy.” Levi laughed as Eren whined, halfway out of his blanket nest.

“But I want…”

“I know buddy, I know.” Levi soothed. Undressing and getting under the comforter next to Eren. “You’re such high maintenance dude!” Levi chuckled, holding the edge of the comforter up for Eren to crawl back under.

“Cuddle up I’m freezing.” Levi smiled, feeling Eren settle in, the apple cake flavor increasing, telling Levi, that the omega was happy and content, making his chest ache with so much pride. Nevertheless, he waited for Eren’s breathing to even out, after some time of Levi chatting at him in French, having figured out, that this really did it for the omega, before pressing a soft kiss on top of his mop of unruly hair.

Damn he sure as hell was losing control slowly.


	13. Listen to your heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the promised double dose. Enjoy reading and let me know if you feel like the taggs need adjusting, feel free to suggest a tagg. Also let me know if you want the next updateon wednesday or friday, please. I'm working on chapter 21, so I have room to spare.

When Eren woke up the next day, he was still curled up against Levi, nestling a little closer to the warmth coming off of the alpha’s body next to him. Levi’s arm around his waist tightened its hold in the process, not letting go, fingers openly splaying across the smaller omega’s back in a protective almost unconscious claim. Eren was pretty sure, that his Captain was still asleep, so he hid his face in the crock of Levi’s neck and bathed in the maple scent coming off of him.

He felt good right there, even if Levi just saw him as a priority, indeed his whole body relaxed in response and he was thinking about going back to sleep for another hour or so.

“Good morning sleeping beauty.” Levi whispered, eyes still closed, feeling Eren jerk in his grip, but keeping a hold of him nonetheless. Eren just pretended to sleep, humming inaudible in the back of his throat and rubbing his nose along the alpha’s neck, making Levi laugh and his own scent flair up, clouding Levi in a note of apple cake.

“It’s okay, I know you like it there. Feeling any better this morning?” He asked, not having anything on Eren’s acting skills, fingertips drumming a little on the brunettes right shoulder blade. The omega just huffed exaggeratedly in response, teeth momentarily scratching the soft skin of the alpha’s neck, a mock gesture for sure, but it made Levi’s head rush.

“You know, I eventually have to go to morning practice.” Levi said after a while, not really willing to leave the bed, but knowing he had to at some point, and better got Eren some breakfast, before he left, because his mom raised him well and Yeager deserved to be spoiled and cared for after the directors had mistreated him like that.

“Shit! Practice!” Eren jumped at the mention of it.

“You remember stuff from yesterday?” Levi cringed, as he checked up, just to make sure, afraid to have to explain it all over again, as he watched Eren’s face fall in an instant, when reality dawned across his face.

“Yeah...I...I do.” The omega sighed, shoving his face deeper into the pillow, so his hair was hiding the rest of his face. He could go back to sleep, but that would be rather hard with Levi gone, doing what Eren’s body yearned to do - to skate hard, feeling the ice in the air, the tingle in his eyelashes from the cold slipping past his visor, feeling the cold breeze, reddening his cheeks.

“Well I really have to get going, but I will check in with you this afternoon, is that okay with you?” Levi asked hesitantly, not wanting to crowd into the omega’s private space.

“Whatever.” mumbled Eren in response and buried himself deeper into blankets and pillows, feeling Levi’s arm vanishing from his waist and the warm presence of his chest disappear, as the alpha sat up in bed. Yeager turned his back to Levi, as he heard the alpha sigh and get to his feet, to shuffle into the ensuite.

By the time, Levi was showered and dressed, Eren had fallen back asleep and didn’t hear him leave.

Eren’s dreams were filled with Levi touching him, Levi kissing him, cuddling him, Levi taking care of him and he ached for it, when he woke up to realise, he was all on his own. His chest felt tight and sensitive, as he rubbed across the space his heart was hidden under. Frustration spreading, as he realized that he actually managed to sleep through Ackerman leaving him for morning practice at his stupid icehouse - okay Horseface had told him it actually wasn’t named after their captain but anyway, Levi still had  a stupid fucking lake named after him!

It would be hard to stay away from hockey, from the rink and with all the thoughts racing in his mind, he decided it might be better to stay away from Levi too. The alpha, who could have all Eren wanted, a sore reminder of how fucked up things had gotten. But a part of him was still not shutting up, reasoning with him, that he shouldn’t shut the captain out, like he did. That he needed Levi’s stupid Canadian ass and his stupid maple scent, while the rest argued, that Levi would be gone on a road trip soon enough, with the holidays close too. Now, that he didn’t have any indication to stay in Chicago, going up to Detroit to meet his billet family, seemed a nice option - he was locked up until February for fucks sake.

Eren snatched his phone, ringing Nanaba up without further ado and had flight details drawn up and booked in less than 20 minutes time.

If Levi was gone, Eren could at least be good to himself and spent some quality family time, with people who loved him. Next on the list was ringing Faye, she had to come over to the Zacharias, at least for a few days or a weekend. Yes his sister would surely help.

Eren fist bumped the air in victory, when his sister actually answered his text with a string of curses and “of course Eren boo!” - It made him grin like a loon, before he finally had found enough courage to leave his bed and grab a shower.

When he walked into the kitchen, he had to rub his eyes to confirm, he wasn’t hallucinating, but there was a note on the fridge in Levi’s ridiculously neat handwriting - the fucking perfectionist - and inside, a plate full of fruit, ready to be eaten along with a nice low carb sandwich, sitting right next to it. Levi had made him breakfast and Eren couldn’t help himself, but smile. This was such a kind gesture, something Ackerman really didn’t have to do, but did nevertheless and it was warming Eren’s heart, that even a few tears welled up in his eyes. He set the plates down on his breakfast bar, before starting the coffee machine, just to find it ready and set to go already, so all that was left for Eren to do, was press the button and waiting for the cup to be filled, his nose started itching as the smell of coffee filled the small kitchen.

With his feet dangling, he sat down, going for the food at first, before eyeing his cup suspiciously. He suddenly didn’t really feel like having coffee, when other times he couldn’t get up, without at least 3 of those. Something felt wrong about it, so he just ignored it and chugged it down the drain. No big deal, to start the day with orange juice instead, which was the way Levi found him an hour later, glass in hand and channel surfing his DVR.

“Hi Yeager. I would have knocked, but wasn’t sure if you were up yet. Didn’t want to wake you sleeping beauty.” Levi apologized with a grin. Eren waved it off with a small smile and sipped his juice, flipping Levi off for the jab didn’t even cross his mind.

“So how are you doing? Anything you need? Anything I can get you?” his captain asked, lingering in the doorway a little awkwardly.

“Nah, am fine. I actually wanted to talk to you about stuff.” Eren mumbled, uncertain if bringing it up with Levi would help or make the alpha angry, the entire situation itself was beyond awkward.

“Oh, okay.” Levi slowly made his way over to the couch, flopping down next to the omega. “What is it?”

“You’ll be leaving for the road trip soon, right?”

“Oh, yeah. I had totally forgotten about it.” Levi scratched his neck shyly. He really had forgotten about the road trip, with his mind focused on Yeager’s well being.

“Well I… I was thinking about going up to Detroit for a bit, when you guys are away anyway and...I kinda already got it sorted.” Eren mumbled, making it hard for Levi to understand.

“So you’re leaving to what... see friends?” Levi asked curiously.

“Staying with my billets for a while and stuff, probably. Getting out of everybody’s hair, you know. Maybe spending holidays away from here, but I haven’t really decided yet. One way is fun.” Eren said, fumbling with a stray pillow in his lap, suddenly very interested in the fabric.

“Oh...I guess that’s good then.” Levi said, sincere and with a half smile. “Not the getting out of hair part though, but I think it’s a good idea to take some time off until things have calmed down. You know you can text and call me anytime, away or not.” Levi said.

“Yeah.” Eren mumbled, relief pouring off of him in waves, smelling like fresh sunshine on a spring day, now that he realized Ackerman was not about to flip his shit over the decision.

“So when are you bound to leave?”

“Like in four hours maybe.” Eren swallowed, pressing his eyes together, ready to get hit by the sharp smell of Levi’s anger any second now, because that was hell of a short notice. He hadn’t even told his agent, figuring he could leave that to his billet mom to decide, whether or not it was actually necessary to inform him about Eren’s whereabouts.

“Oh. “ Levi huffed in surprise. “That’s well that’s pretty…  close I would say. Do you like, I don't know, want me to give you a ride to the airport?”

“Would...would you actually do that? I don’t want to bother you really. I can get a cab too.” Eren insisted, eyes casted downwards.

“It’s fine, don’t worry. I'm offering, eh.” the alpha reassured, but couldn’t help himself by thinking, that Eren leaving felt like he was running away from things and the alpha part of Levi clearly didn’t like that decision one bit. But if this was Eren's way of dealing with things, Levi sure didn't want to get in the way. At least that option was better, than Eren going of on an unsupervised boozing spree -  heaven may help them, if it came to this one day.

Nevertheless, he helped Eren pack a suitcase and a duffle, dropping him off at the airport with another promise to check in on the regular and a reminder, that of course Eren should let him know, when he was getting back in town, or needed any help.

The omega didn’t protest once, nodding along and even allowed Levi to hug him, when he saw him off. Well to be honest it was more like, Eren shyly asking Levi to hug him, but he sure as hell wouldn’t tell that to anyone, was just praying no tabloid was actually snapping a picture of the moment. There had been enough bad headlines already and he didn’t fancy having to attend another meeting, as the previous one with the alpha’s of the organisation for ruining his captain’s alpha status.

Nanaba and the kids were already waiting for him, when Eren got into Detroit, shortly before dinner time and he couldn’t help but smile widely at the sight of them, waiting for him at arrival with open arms, he knew that he had made the right decision by coming back home.

Of course the media did catch on his leaving and more likely than not, a few articles about possible trades surfaced and got blown out of proportion, as to be expected, but nothing Keith Shadis thought worth to forward to Eren, so the right winger could spent his time off and away in peace, not having to bother about the crap gossip blogs bashed around. He even mailed back and forth with the Hawks front office just in case, even though he had no knowledge whatsoever about the latest incident.

Faye joined Eren at the Zacharias two days later and Eren insisted on her staying in his room, just to shamelessly curl up to her and cuddle her. The familiar alpha scent soothing him, now that he started to miss Levi. But he had gotten away, to get over being weird around Ackerman and most likely to stop being so needy in his captain's presence, even though Levi didn’t seem to mind. He knew he had always been a handful, but something inside of him, was not ready to actually let Levi’s hand be the one to deal with said handful, because team dynamics and stuff. Don’t bite the hand that is feeding you and shit. The front office most likely would kick him out of the NHL and to Canada and back, if he got too close to their precious team diamond, or god help him emotionally invested. They’d made their disapproval quite clear that Yeager in Ackerman’s bed, was something they didn’t want to see on the regular, had put their foot down ever since the draft had taken place.

He was more confused than before with Levi obviously still seeking him out, bringing him in close - Levi going behind team orders for all he knew. Levi caring for him, Levi defending him. It was such a mess it made his head swim, so he tried his hardest to distract himself. Played games with the kids, enjoyed some street hockey with the neighbours, dinner with the family, talks in Mike’s office during the weekend, dance offs with his sister.

Maybe the directors freak out had screwed with his brain, more than he thought and Nanaba took her sweet time coaxing all about the encounter out of Eren, after two nights of watching him cling to his sister Faye, huddling them into a blanket fort, that took up most of Eren’s old bedroom and only saw the two leaving it for food and an occasional trip to the bathroom, just to be sorry on his behalf.

It wasn't the best evening, when the story about the front office meeting spilled out of him though and Faye had to actually take care of him afterwards, since he couldn’t stop crying once more, after recalling the situation, in as much detail as he could remember. He could sense his billet mom's anger and Faye’s too, despite knowing it wasn’t directed at him, it still made him cry even harder. That night Eren actually begged for Faye to sleep beside him in bed, not on the air mattress placed in his room and she did, cuddling him close without further questions asked. He really had the best sister, even if she tried giving him the “Let Levi in” talk a couple of times, after realizing why Eren’s phone was constantly buzzing in the worst moments. “ He is just looking out for you, screw the front office, you are allowed to make friends. Listen to your heart Eren boo. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

It didn’t help that Eren actually purred after Faye had to leave again, but he hid it well enough, that Nanaba didn’t catch onto his antics.

There was at least one text every day, coming in from Levi, the possessive asshole. The messages differing from a

 **Levi:** Hey, what’s up?

or

 **Levi:** How is it going bud?

to little tales from Levi’s own life back in Chicago.

 **Levi:** Locker Room feels empty without you. Horseface pulled shit on Armin.

 **Levi:** Coach just popped a boner when we scored in OT I swear!

 **Levi:** We totally had our power play on point, you should have seen it. Did you watch?

Eren didn’t answer all of them, sometimes he just plain right ignored Levi’s texts, especially the ones about whether or not he was watching the games. He hadn’t watched a game since he came back to Detroit, he watched Sabres highlights or went over old game tape with Mike, analyzing his own play and what he could work on to be better, but that was as far as he could do, without feeling worn down on the edges, ready to break down, with all the confusing feelings still rushing through his head. He also felt lazy and tired, took more naps during the day, than it would do him any good, but he told himself it was simply ignorance of exhaustion. Screwing with his sleep schedule wasn’t that bad, if there weren’t any games for him anyway.

Faye skyped him during the holidays, managing to sneak his brother into a room with her, while they whispered over the microphone, trying to not be too loud and attract his parents attention. Eren could even hear his mom's voice at one point, when she passed through the corridor muttering about casserole and it was the nicest gift Faye could have given him. He spent the rest of the day with Nanaba, Mike and their kids and even found it in himself to send a quick text saying “Merry Xmas loser.” to Levi.

But the more days past, the more tired he got and after new year he was more asleep than anything, that even Nanaba fussed over him, coaxing him into returning to Chicago to see the team doctor, after he refused to see some local shrink. It has been six or seven weeks or so, maybe one or two more give or take, since he had woken up next to Levi in the hotel bed and he blamed his exhaustion on the heat. Heats were the worst and he was hoping not to get another one all too soon, if it made him feel so groggy for weeks. The tender feeling of his chest hadn’t passed either, indeed it felt like it had gotten worse, so he really missed his soft shirts back home that were faded from too many washing circles, which wouldn’t irritate his skin or hurt his nipples, when the fabric stretched across his torso while he moved.

So Eren found himself on a charter to Chicago on the 15th January after giving into Nanaba’s concerns. He didn’t tell Levi, that he was coming back, knowing he was probably still in Nashville or doing his laundry for the trip to Denver, facing the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center. He had checked the schedule before boarding, knowing they would be playing the St. Louis Blues on home ice, the next day, so even if Levi was already in Chicago, he didn’t want to bother him. He would know soon enough, that Eren was back in the city.

He actually didn’t expect to run straight into him at the airport. Levi was frowning and deep in thought, but jostled out of it, when Eren accidentally knocked his carry-on in his heels, trying to get out of the mass of people around him, pushing towards the exit.

“Yeager!” Levi sounded astonished and a little stunned. “You didn’t say anything.”

“Err.. Hi Levi.” Eren mumbled, eyes darting around nervously. It was typical for him to manage to bump into the only person in entire Chicago, he wasn’t prepared to face.

“Everything okay? You wanna ride back with me?” Levi asked eyeing him skeptically.

“Uhm, I could grab a cab, you must be pretty busy. I mean with games and all and yeah, you know, I can look after myself.” Eren stuttered in response.

“Nah, no big deal, eh. I mean we live in the same complex and all. The others have already left though, it’s not like someone is going to ask.” Levi smiled, tugging Eren along and out to the parking lot, feeling the omega follow reluctantly.

Levi’s attempts at small talk, where mostly short lived, when Eren started fumbling with the radio, but the alpha didn’t seem to mind, keeping an eye on the small omega anyway, recognizing the dark circles under his eyes.

“Seems like you haven’t been sleeping too well lately.” Levi said, knowing he probably didn’t look that much better.

“Urgh, no I slept plenty actually.” Eren mumbled, rubbing his tired eyes and could feel himself close to drifting off again. He had slept most of the flight, not that Levi would know, but it felt embarrassing.

“Oh, well sorry.” Levi apologized, as he pulled up to their apartment complex, parking his car and killing the engine. He watched Eren getting out slowly, still looking an alarming shade of pale, that he found himself wondering, if his right winger was maybe coming down with something. All the glamorous shade of alpha, he got their luggage out of the trunk and took, Eren’s suitcase too, even though he got a relatively weak protest for it in return, as they made their way up in the elevator.

“Thanks for the uber.” Eren yawned, as the doors pinged open on his floor, dragging his suitcase out into the hallway, half heartedly waving at Levi bleary eyed.

“No problem, take care.” Levi smiled, resisting the urge to crowd Eren into his apartment and fuss about him, instead he watched him trudge down to his door, as the doors of the elevator slid shut and took him further up to his own floor. He figured if something was really wrong Eren would be responsible enough to see the team doctors about it. That didn’t stop him from worrying though.

Eren needed a few tries to pry his door open with his key, missing the lock a couple of times, before he stumbled inside and crashed within minutes, face down on his bed. He struggled out of his clothes, dropping them to the floor in a haphazardly pile. He was tired, oh so damn tired and he felt sick. He actually felt sick for a while, the nausea not really going away for the past week or so, but it had taken all his will power to resist the urge to throw up.

Now that he was home, Nanaba’s hawk like gaze no longer prominent following his every step, he felt as if he couldn’t contain it any longer, and rolled out of bed and into his ensuite in an alarming speed, before throwing up all his breakfast and the lunch he hadn’t had, since he got up a little late this morning, and hurrying to the airport in a rush.

Eren hated being sick, it felt wrong and all kinds of bad and reminded him about, how he wasn’t treating his body well enough. So when the retching finally died down, he wasn’t even surprised to find fat tears running down his hot cheeks and feeling his throat burn to an amount that made him want to gag again. This really sucked and when he was sure, there was no more dry heaving, he rinsed his mouth with water, brushed his teeth and crawled back into bed, passing out the minute his head had hit the pillow.

His sleep only lasted two hours and he woke up hungry, but also queasy and ready to have another meeting with the toilet bowl, which was exactly what he ended up doing, before dragging himself toward his kitchen, feeling miserable. Maybe he should really see the team doctors, but not today. First things first and driving with constant nausea wasn’t high on the list of things he wanted to do right now.

Eating wasn’t either, because his stomach still felt so upset, but he managed to produce some oatmeal, to go easy on, hoping that it would stay where he put it, before crashing in his bed again. He would rather sit on the couch, but the way to the bathroom would actually be too long, just in case. So he kept busy with the latest novel he read, before aimlessly flipping through the pages, no longer able to concentrate.

He wondered what Levi was up to and it took him an hour to come up with the courage to actually sent him a text, before he anxiously waited for an answer of the alpha. Well it took some time until his cell phone vibrated, but Levvi responded, that was the most important, fuck time anyway. He had plenty of time on his hands and Levi had either been napping, or doing captain stuff, or game prep stuff. It was okay if he didn’t jump on Eren’s ebery beg and call.

 **Levi:** Are you okay? Want me to come down?

 **Eren:** holding up, you are busy you dick

 **Levi:** Never too busy to spend time with you. Are you sure you’re okay bud?

 **Eren:** Yeah mom, do your game things.

 **Levi:** I’m not your mom Yeager!

 **Eren:** duh busted

 **Levi:** You can come up for a change. I still got time for beating your ass some on Xbox.

 **Eren:** Srsl no you don’t! What’s with your stretches and yoga in undies and shit? Why are even livin da life in my towers? Why not go back to your sick af condo in downtown private beach?

 **Levi:** YEAGER!

 **Eren:** yes mom?

Eren was cackling to himself, watching Levi getting riled up. It took his mind off of things, but not enough to miss the knock on his door, before Levi unlocked it - the dick! He really should ask for his key back, but wasn’t actually bothered by it. Knowing Levi would always be able to come and save him, had kind of an appeal to it. One that Eren didn’t want to give up just yet.

“Where are you, you little shit?” Levi asked the room at large, listening for any noise that would tell him, where Eren was hiding.

“Bedroom.” his right winger huffed, loud enough for the alpha to hear, waiting for Levi’s frowny face to appear in his doorway and his maple scent did nothing to hide the fact, that his captain was not holding a grudge at least, but rather content with walking into his private space just like that. Eren wanted to keen in contentment at the observation.

“You know, you could have just said you wanted me to come down.” Levi laughed.

“Pff, whatever.” the omega grumbled, tugging at his blanket and sporting a pout that made Levi’s eyes crinkle at the edges, as he shuffled over to the edge of the bed and flopped down, next to Yeager’s knees.

“So what’s wrong?” the captain asked, tugging at Eren’s blanket, noticing the slightly stench of sickness in the air, but not commenting on it.

“Nothin’s wrong.” Eren mumbled scooting closer to the alpha.

“Were you feeling lonely?” Levi mused, crocking an eyebrow at him, eyeing the space next to Yeager on the bed.

“What!” Eren squeaked affronted, but blushed all the same. He was so helpless in the face of Levi fucking Ackerman. The captain already knew the remote to push all his buttons by heart.

“Yeager, you actually need to give me something to work with, you know, like use your words.” the alpha said.

“I want a hug.” the omega mumbled slowly, stumbling over his words in a rush to get them all out at the same time, fingers fisting in the hem of Levi’s shirt and tugging at it shyly, with his big teal green baby eyes peeking up at him through thick long lashes.

“That’s better.” Levi praised, knocking his sneakers off and sprawling out next to Eren, before tugging him close.

“So why didn’t you just said so, I could have been here 2 hours ago, now you only have one hour of cuddle time, before I need to go.” Levi huffed, ruffling through Eren’s hair, glad to feel the weight of the boy pressed against his side again. He really had missed the omega, but wouldn’t tell him of course. Eren had already enough insider information and jokes gathered, to mock Levi into the next century with it, if he ever wanted to.

“Nghhh.” Yeager huffed in lack of answer, nosing along the veins of Levi’s neck. With the alpha close, he didn’t feel that much miserable anymore. Levi was like a miracle cure for everything, his maple scent calming Eren down and making him feel like he was on top of the world. Maybe Faye was right and his feelings were already more invested, than it did him good.

“Smells nice.” Eren murmured, as his eyes closed in contentment.

“Well better than your room.” Levi couldn’t help but mention. “Should have said something about feeling sick smol titan.”

“Just a bit of a bug.” Eren rumbled, feeling Levi’s hand drifting up and down on his back, occasionally catching at the strands at the base of his neck, tugging slightly, before drifting away again.

“Well let’s hope it leaves you soon, are you going to see the doctors about it?” the alpha asked, already mapping out all sorts of emergency plans if needed.

“Am going, if it gets worse. Now is okay Levi.”

“Mon Dieu.” the center muttered, eyeing Eren’s pale face with unease, hidden halfway in his shirt collar. He really looked a little stressed out, so maybe Levi should really tune down his second hand worry. It wasn’t like either of them had never had a stomach bug, stuff like this happened and passed around the locker room every now and again, it wouldn’t kill them.

“Okay. But you do go, if it doesn’t pass or I’ll make you go!” Levi said, putting a little alpha command into it, before going back to muttering in French under his breath. If he was cursing the world's existence, Eren wouldn’t know, but he actually eased down, whenever Levi muttered to himself, body going lax under the alpha’s skilled hands. Comforting the omega was slowly becoming a full time job, Levi had committed himself to and he couldn’t even lie about it. Looking after Eren might be stressful sometimes, but it paid back with so much more, if one compliment was all he got in response, it sure had some deeper meaning, given the fact, that Eren wasn’t someone who actually ever said: “Thank you!” or anything else close to it off the ice easily. So if he actually said Levi smelled nice, and he did say that for the second time, without being fogged by heat and hormones cruising through his brain, it had the power to actually make Levi’s heart beat a little faster in his chest, spreading a lazy warm feeling through the way too pleased alpha.

But the hour went by way too fast and Eren clearly had no intention of letting Levi go anywhere, protesting sleepily, when the alpha left his side.

“I gotta go. You take care. I’ll be back soon enough okay.” Levi muttered, fingers still lingering in Eren’s soft hair, fingernails scratching his scalp in slow motion.

“Mhmmm-” the omega murmured, squinting enough to watch Levi leave. He was so screwed and obviously gone for this goon. He wanted to have Levi around all the time, it was not even funny anymore, but it also scared Eren, because the need to actually need someone else close, and that someone else being an alpha, was something even he knew, clarified for bonding in progress or if not that far, then at least he had a major crush on his captain. So fuck him.

Also fuck Levi just for good measure. It wasn’t fair, that he was about to fall in love with the person, he despised against his better judgement, but Levi made it so easy on him. How was he supposed to resist? You could only love that sarcastic, frowny asshat.


	14. Shock

Besides Eren’s biggest efforts to really go and see the doctor, as he had promised Levi and even Nanaba, he remained home until Levi returned from the road trip. Fighting nausea for the most of every day and feeling like crap. When he wasn’t throwing up, or trying to keep food down, he was asleep or softly purring in his blanket nest. He had lost count of the amount of Gatorade, he had to drink to keep hydrated.

What a stupid stomach bug, he had picked up, it felt like it was trying to actually kill him.

Of course Levi kept asking, sending texts filled with concern and worry and Eren wasn't straight out lying to him. Not on purpose, he just wasn't telling all of the delicate details, to not disturb the alpha, who actually needed to be on his best for the team's sake. He couldn't screw with Levi's game, keeping his mind off hockey, just for being sick, coach Smith and Nile Dawk would have his head.

And he wasn’t actually dying, he just felt like it. It was this significant tiny little difference.

When the team was back in Chicago, Eren got up early to ring Dr. Hanji Zoe down. He might as well get help, with fighting whatever virus had adopted a second home in his stomach and the chances of Levi coming by, before he had actually managed to visit the doc where little, since the plane had gotten in rather late in the early hours of morning. Chances were Levi was still fast asleep. He tried to actually not think about the fact, that their team doctor was probably just as tired, but yeah, if she didn’t fancy an early morning call from Yeager, she shouldn’t have told him, to make noise if necessary.

Because hell, it was more than just necessary, he was on the verge of desperation.

So after once again waking up and puking his guts up, he managed to get halfway decent, before hopping onto the El and turning up at the UC front desk, making his way down to the examination rooms, knocking firmly at the doctor's office.

To Eren's disgust Dr. Zoe looked more than awake, at this ugly hour, no trace of jet lag or sleep deprivation.

“Good morning Eren.” the older woman smiled, her gaze slipping over the omega.

“Morning.” Eren huffed, voice still raspy.

“So what’s up? You’re sounding a bit rough.” she observed.

“I feel like shit man, and I’m sorry I haven’t said anything earlier, but I thought...you know, it would go away eventually.” Eren mumbled, dropping onto the examination table, facing the doctor.

“So what are we talking about, if you say you feel like shit?" Hanji asked, taking in the drawn look on Eren’s pale looking face, the shadows under his eyes, lined with exhaustion.

“I guess I picked up some sort of stomach bug. I’ve been throwing up like on a daily basis and I’m just so tired all the time.” Eren counted off the worst of the symptoms.

“Are you feeling sick all day or just like at specific times of day?” the doctor asked.

“What kind of question even is that? I don’t know. It starts when I wake up and sometimes, it wakes me up during the night, or it waits until lunch time to torture me all afternoon. It’s not like I can see a pattern there.” Eren snapped, looking up in apology and sighed. He didn’t mean to be rude.

“Anything else besides that? For how long is this going on?” Dr. Zoe seemed unfazed by Eren’s mood.

“I’m just tired and achy and sometimes my chest gets like hypersensitive. My emotions are a bit messed up, but urgh I guess that’s more like something else.”

“So you mean you worry a lot?” Hanji frowned at him, over the rim of her glasses.

“No, not like worry...I don’t know shitty glasses, I’m just like overthinking and stuff and then I get all worked up over nothing, which is kinda stressing me out. Oh my god! I’m sorry I didn’t mean to say the thing about your glasses. I’m so sorry.” Eren dragged the palm of his hand over his face in exasperation.

“Okay, and since when are you throwing up? Did you eat anything specific, before the nausea started?” Hanji ignored the jab about her glasses, having heard it all before plenty, by the other teammates.

“I had Sushi with my billet family and then it kinda went on from there, but no one except me was feeling shitty. So it’s been like 2 or 3 weeks by now.” Eren mumbled, maybe forgetting to add one or two weeks extra. He didn’t want to make a big fuss. Dr. Zoe was obviously thinking hard, with her brow furrowed in concentration.

“Okay, Eren. If you want I can have a look at it, just lie down and lift your shirt.” She scribbled a few notes on her notepad, before coming over to the examination table.

“Could be a little cold.” she warned, as her cold hands came into touch with the omega’s warm skin, pressing down on Eren’s belly.

“Does it hurt anywhere?” Hanji asked, watching Eren shake his head every time in response.

“Just cold.”

“Yeah sorry, not much I can do about it, but everything looks fine.” Eren sighed, sitting up. He was hoping for answers, but so far everything seemed okay.

“Okay, I’m going to run some blood work, that might take a day or two. I can ring you when I get the results back.” Dr. Zoe said, getting her equipment ready.

“Sure, go ahead Doc Dracula.” Eren hated every minute of the procedure as usual, but didn’t say a thing. The doctor worked quickly, before labeling his blood samples and sealing them into an envelope.

“Any guess so far?” Eren asked, already feeling queasy again.

“There are a few options Eren. I don’t want to get you worried over nothing serious. Let’s just wait for the results. Can you hop onto the scale for me?” Eren huffed in frustration and did as told, kicking off his sneakers, before stepping onto the scale, with Dr. Zoe lingering to his left side.

“You lost some pounds.” she commented.

“Yeah, haha is this a surprise?” Eren snapped, stepping down and getting his shoes on again.

“Try to keep hydrated and try to go easy on food. Low fat, small portions. Oatmeal and stuff.”

“I haven’t been doing much else these past days.” Eren grumbled.

“I will ring you up as soon as I get the tests back, okay?” the doctor said, scribbling some more notes on her pad.

“Yeah, just I wondered if you need to tell the trainers or stuff? It’s only a couple of days until I am allowed to play again.” Eren sighed. He didn’t want to sit out any longer.

“If it’s nothing serious and you feel up to playing, there is no need to bother the coaches with a bit of bowel issues.” Dr. Zoe assured him with a small smile, seeing the relief clear Eren’s anxious expression.

“Good. Thank fuck. Do you need anything else, like pissing into one of your guys magic cups?”

“Nah, the result could be unrealistic, too many outside influences. Blood is a done deal, that can not be tampered with more or less. Take care.” Hanji smiled from her desk, shuffling papers around. Eren gave a small wave, before closing the door behind him. A few days of waiting, he could do that.

He could totally do that, but at first, he had to find the next best restroom and throw up all the cereal, he tried to eat this morning, a reappearance of said food felt inevitable. Lucky Charms didn’t feel like the best idea after all.

When he made his way home, the train ride on the El made him just feel that little bit worse, even though he knew, there was no food left to get rid off, he still sat near the door, just in case he needed to get off and to the nearest trash can. So if this bug or whatever, was nothing serious okay, but it was persistent as fuck and annoying on top of that. Eren leaned his head against the cold glass of the window, willing the train to go faster. The half hour felt worse, than an entire shift on ice.

He made it to his front door without causing a public accident, just to meet Levi, who was leaning against the wall, obviously worried and waiting for him.

“There you are.” the alpha sighed, eyeing him up and down critically.

“Hi.” Eren mumbled, unlocking his door and trying to not breathe too much in Levi’s exact direction, afraid the vomit was still evident on his breath, because at least his mouth still felt disgusting and he really wanted to brush his teeth. The water from the restroom sink had done him little good.

“Everything okay Eren? Where have you been to this early?”

“Just stuff you know, checking in with the doc.” Eren couldn’t bring himself to lie to the alpha, both stepping into his condo, while Levi closed the door behind them silently.

“So you’re not feeling any better bud?” the captain asked, voice dropping in the low levels of pure concern. Eren just shrugged, kicking of his shoes and discarding his shirt in the hamper, as he made his way to the bathroom, grabbing his toothbrush.

“‘s nothin’ serious.” the omega mumbled around his toothbrush, eyes cast down, ignoring the way Levi made himself at home in his doorway like a creep, his gaze unwavering.

“Nothing serious?” the alpha scoffed. “For nothing serious this is going on for a while now, isn’t it?” he asked, as Eren rinsed his mouth and spat into the sink, before turning the water on, to wash away the foam.

“I will be better in no time.” Eren mumbled, walking past his captain to flop down on the bed. He really needed a nap.

“Come here, you big dork.” Eren yawned, patting the sheets next to him, feeling the bed dip, as Levi sat down.

“What did they say?” Levi asked after a while, his hand carding through the soft strands in Eren’s neck, making the omega yawn some more. He could really fall asleep like that, right this second, if Levi would stop asking stupid questions and actually shut the fuck up.

“Did blood, will call with result.” Eren mumbled into the pillow, ending it on a grunt sound, as Levi’s fingernails got stuck for a second, giving him a nice scratch right above his left ear.

“Sorry.” Levi was quick to apologize, getting comfortable himself, next to Eren, who was sprawled out all over the king size bed.

“Nuhuh.” the omega protested, pressing his head more firmly against Levi’s palm.

“You...urgh you liked it?” Levi asked, dazzled.

“Hmpf. No I fucking hate you fatass! Meh keep goin’." Eren whined. He really wanted to fall asleep like that, if Ackerman would stop making things complicated.

“Rude, Yeager. Always so rude.” Levi laughed, but obligated nevertheless. His face was doing things, he could feel it and was glad Eren was still face down in the pillow. He had really grown font of the smaller guy, no matter how awkward times got between them.

“How about I make you something…”

“LEVI!!! I TRY TO FUCKING SLEEP!” Eren snapped, his arm lashing out, smacking the alpha in the side.

“Ow!” his captain protested.

“Sorry, you can do whatever you want, but lemme fuckin’ sleep now.” Eren slurred, scooting closer, pressing his face against Levi’s chest.

“Always so lovely to your friends, you grumpy cake.” Levi smiled, tugging a bit on Yeager’s hair to get the point across, before resuming to scratch his head and neck, listening to the omega’s breath evening out into sleep next to him.

When he was sure, that Eren was fast asleep and out like a light, he draped the comforter over him, before getting up, to inspect the right wingers kitchen. Hoping to find anything Eren would keep down, once he woke back up and also washing his hands, just in case. He didn’t really fancy getting whatever Eren was sick with. But knowing, that the little guy had actually seen a doctor about it, calmed Ackerman’s nerves big time. If The doctors prognosis told not to worry, what could there be wrong, anyway.

While he was at it, he texted with Eld back and forth. The idea Levi had had, was about to take form, if Eld Crosby would come on board. He had spent the past weeks, while Yeager was out, progressing and perfecting his opinions and points, to outline the brief idea, that had struck him after that awful meeting with Nile dickwand Dawk and his friends. Now he was ready to get it into motion and Eld, as one of the rare omega captains in the NHL, would help him out for sure.

There needed to be new rules for omega’s in their league, there needed to be a lobby, someone who would support progress and bring better conditions to those, who joined their teams in the future. They needed to actually change the old traditional view and convert the entire punishment - obedience clause. No more defamation or kneeling, or god forbid team fuck toy status for omega’s upon entering the NHL.

They had to move on from those old days, they had to find a way and argue for the rights of all dynamics. They had a leading role, that would help convert the rest, not only the way sports teams treated their dynamics, but everybody should be treated equally. They had to reach a treaty and he would make this happen. Eld was actually really into this idea and Levi wanted to fist bump the air in victory. A small step in the right direction.

Eren woke up to an actually amazing smelling bowl full of oatmeal and devoured most of it under Levi’s watchful eyes. And he felt fine, that was until the center suggested coffee. The thought of coffee was so unsettling to Yeager, that he couldn't help but glare at his captain.

“Levi, I swear to god, if you drink any coffee, all this nice oatmeal will reappear straight on your lap.” The omega threatened, which okay in retrospect was very ungrateful, but true nevertheless. Eren's disgust towards the brown bean water had only intensified in the last weeks.

“Sure, okay. Not touching coffee with a ten foot pole. Whatever you want. C’mere.” Levi crooned, offering a hug in apology. Eren went for it willingly, melting against the bigger alpha. He couldn’t help but feel like coming home. Maple scent swallowing him up in a place of mind, where he felt safe and cared for. He was so gone, Jesus christ.

When Eren’s phone rang the next day, while Levi was gone for practice, the nerves got the better of him. He didn’t answer, even though the caller ID was clearly the UC’s doctor's office. The moment it flashed up on the screen of his cellphone, Eren was overridden by anxiety of the possible implications it held. What if something really was wrong? What if the doctor would say he couldn’t play? He was scared of the verdict, so when it rang for the second time, just a couple of minutes later, Eren let it go to voicemail.

He really didn’t want to know. He wasn’t feeling any better this morning, but still he couldn’t stomach another ban of hockey. Next week he was supposed to join in for practice and nothing should get in the way of it. He was ready to play the game, he dreaded it, needed it. He needed hockey.

He rang his sister Faye instead, to keep the line busy.

“Eren boo.” Faye exclaimed right after picking up.

“Hey, how is my best girl?” Eren smiled, voice a little tight.

“I’m fine. Just busy with school, but you’re lucky I’m on break right now.”

“Always the best timing.” Eren laughed.

“I doubt that Eren boo. How are you doing? Feeling any better?”

“Urgh… kinda.” Eren sighed. He had totally forgotten about Faye still being at the Zacharias, when he had first been sick.

“Don’t you dare lie to me!” Faye warned.

“It’s tough. I went and saw the team doctor and she said it’s nothing serious, but they would run some tests, so it is fine?” Eren tries to convince her, but sounding more uncertain by the minute. His sister sighed long suffering into the receiver.

“Eren fucking Yeager. This was like what... 4 weeks ago and you are still sick?” Faye asked sarcastically, but still concerned.

“I’ve only seen the team doctor like yesterday.” Eren mumbled in protest.

“And she hasn’t given you any update on the tests?” Faye asked befuddled.

“Well, maybe. I…” Eren stumbled over his words. He could feel Faye glare from miles away, and that was enough to shut him up. He couldn’t lie to his sister for the hell of it.

“What? Let me guess, you are too scared to actually answer your phone? You don’t want to know the result, because it could keep you from playing hockey? Oh dear, Eren!” she sighed.

“But, Faye what if…”

“Enough!” the alpha interrupted him mid sentence, voice filled with authority. “Listen Eren boo, I’m sure it’s not nice to be sick all day and neither I like it, nor do you. But running away from the doctor, is not going to help you. So don’t make me listen to your excuses.” she reasoned with him.

“I’m sorry, Faye.” Eren sniffled.

“Oh baby. I didn’t mean to upset you. I only want, that you look after yourself. This is going on for too long and god this is awkward.” Faye sighed.

“What?” Eren asked softly.

“I hate to break it to you Eren boo, but have you considered all options? You’ve been with Levi, does that ring any bells?” Faye murmured, voice shaking a little.

“What does Levi have to do with all of this?” Eren asked, snuggling further into his blanket nest, pressing his cell phone to his ear, already feeling tired again.

“Eren, seriously? You’ve spent your heat with Levi and now you are feeling sick for weeks. What if you know, what if something happened?” Faye asked, he could hear her biting her lips.

“I doubt Levi gave me an STD, Faye.” Eren giggled a little embarrassed.

“I doubt an STD is all you can get from that. Why are you so dense sometimes.” Faye deadpanned.

“FAYE!” Eren almost choked on her name.

“Eren, dear. I’m just saying it could be possible that you got knocked up.”

“But.. that’s but that’s…” Eren stuttered.

“That’s well kind of a situation, but a possibility. I know it’s scary and believe me, it scares me too! But you could just run to Walgreens and get a test and be sure, you know big brother.”

Eren didn’t answer, he needed a minute to freak out over this.

“Eren?” Faye asked carefully after a few moments. “Is everything okay?”

“I… I guess I need to think about it.” the omega mumbled pitifully.

“I know it’s a lot, but I’m always here for you. You can ignore the doctor for now and get the test, but you know whatever it is, it will eventually come to light. You can’t run away from this. But you’re not alone in this.” Faye reassured him, she was pretty certain, that Eren was crying, even though he tried to muffle the noise.

“Okay. Will do. Thank you.” Eren sniffled, before hanging up on her without warning. Faye must be joking, that couldn’t actually be true. If he thought he was screwed before, than he was all thoroughly fucked right now!

Pregnancy of all things? Knocked up, by no one else but Levi fucking Ackerman? He was so dead, if this would come true! It felt like a strange never ending nightmare to him. It was all a little much to process and take in.

Eren scrambled off his bed to throw up again, the idea itself, now firmly growing in his head, from the seed Faye had planted, was enough to shake him to his core.

He couldn’t actually have been that careless. He couldn't remember, if they actually had used any protection, but Levi was always so thoughtful with all he did, he sure had thought about using condoms.

Eren rested his head on the cold porcelain of his toilet, head swimming with different scenarios and fears. No way in hell, he couldn't be pregnant. His entire career would be ruined and what even about Levi? They were not even fucking dating! He couldn't pull off raising a kid on his own.

The more he thought about it, the more nervous he got. It felt like a relentless itch under his skin, he had to make sure. He had to know!

Eren staggered to his feet, washed and rinsed his mouth, before dragging himself to his dresser, getting into a pair of his favourite grey sweatpants, a good worn black shirt, that wouldn’t irritate his nipples and that was 2 sizes too big - it could also be one of Levi’s - he didn’t remember. Overtime, he had sneaked one or two of the alpha’s shirts and Ackerman had never complained, nor said a word. He probably didn’t even notice. Eren pulled the rim of his baseball cap low, trying to shield his face, before realizing something important. He dropped his car keys on the kitchen counter again, there was no way of him going unnoticed, if he pulled up in his ridiculous car. No matter which clothes he wore, or how much he tried to disguise his unruly mop of hair, the car would give him away in seconds. He had caved and bought that Hummer in flashy purple rainbow paint, as he once mentioned to Nanaba, just because he now could afford to splurge on something extra.

“Fuck!” he cursed. He couldn’t ask any of his teammates to drive him either, because he didn’t want them to know, that he was buying that test - so the El it would be - again.

Eren was gnawing at his lip in unease, only tolerating about 20 minutes, before he stormed off the train and into the nearest Walgreens. He would rather fly to Colorado to buy a test, just to make sure no one would see him, but that was out of the question and the constant swinging motion of the train was making him sick again. Eren really was about fucking done with being sick for the day. The pharmacy was out of options, because he didn't want to have his name called from the pick up counter either.

The omega slowly shuffled through the aisles, picking up some random bits and pieces to hide the true purpose of his store visit. Also ice cream, because diet or not, he really wanted ice cream right now.

When he finally found the right aisle for his initial need, he couldn't help but gape, there was at least 20 different tests and he totally was out of his depth. Another girl was sorting through them and Eren considered to ask her for assistance, but then again she seemed just as awkward about it, as he did. He pretended to ponder over the stuff right next to it, until she was gone, her heels echoing around the corner, before he dared to look at the display. Thankfully the assortment for male pregnancy tests was singled out, so he only had to choose between three different ones. Each one claiming the accuracy of the result to be 95% trustworthy, but to check in with a doctor to actually confirm. One was a digital test, the other two traditional ones, with one of those promising to detect the pregnancy as early as 2 weeks in.

Eren was rubbing the bridge of his nose in thought. What the heck was he even doing, he could simply try all 3 and hopefully find out that Faye’s concern was total bullshit. But he couldn't buy three pregnancy tests and still believe the cashier wouldn't notice. He thought about texting Faye for help, since she was the one, that suggested it in the first place.

“Take that, got my brother sorted out fine the last two times.” a guy passing him by murmured, pressing one of the traditional ones in his palm, not paying him any more attention, as he grabbed some Axe deodorant and left Eren alone, not even so much as a glance in his direction.

He stared at his hand, heart racing in his chest, afraid that his cover was blown and the guy probably already tweeted about: “Ah yo suggested a preggo test to Blackhawks YEAGER! #OmegaFuckUP”

But nothing happened. No snap of a camera, no people crowding the aisle and Eren stuffed the test under his other purchases, before hightailing it to the cash register, paying and out in record time.

His items had been bagged without any comment or raised eyebrow and now Eren only wanted to get back home, preferably before his ice cream melted into non existence.

The El ride back was torture and he kept glancing around, expecting someone to say something, anything, like they could read his mind and knew exactly what he had bought just a few minutes ago. But nothing of that sort happened, instead he got another call from the office and his phone pinged with another voicemail of doctor Zoe. The omega ignored it, he didn’t want to hear the result. He had to prove Faye wrong at first, before maybe finding enough courage to listen to the left voicemails and get a clue about what might be wrong. But knowing the Blackhawks policy, Hanji Zoe had probably just said he should come to her office, asap. Which, okay, Yeager would not do, not before he went to practice at least. He was totally procrastinating and he knew it, but he was also afraid to no end.

Eren kicked his shoes off and locked his door, just in case Levi would pay him another one of those unannounced visits, that he usually doesn’t really mind, but that would totally be a disaster right about now, given what he was about to do. He stuffed the ice cream into the freezer for later - he might really need it. Wasted some more time packing away the other knick knacks, before taking the test into his bathroom. The package seemed to burn the palm of his hand, by its sheer existence and he spent at least forty solid minutes reading the instructions over and over again. He had to simply piss on it, well that he could do. It was also advised to use a cup rather than trying to hit the stick by pure chance, which was weird, but not so much different from taking a drug test with the team doctors. He could pull that off. The explanation of how to read the result was more difficult to get and he still wasn’t sure if he got it right. There were 3 strips to watch out for, 2 blue ones and a red one, and if he got it right, then the red one was a sort of control stripe, claiming the test worked or if showing up as the only stripe, that the test was invalid. One blue line would mean negative, which he guessed meant not pregnant and two lines were the sign for positive, which would indicate he hit the jackpot. The instructions also made him wait seven minutes after taking the test and that felt like an hour, when Eren finally gathered enough nerves to give it a try.

Maybe the worst was waiting for the moment to actually have to go, because he didn’t feel much full, but then he had to pee much more frequently than he usually would, so it might just be his nerves fucking with him.

He set the alarm on his phone and left the cup of piss alone with the stick in it, to wash his hands and walk around his condo, picking up stuff and cleaning up, even though it was almost spotless. His hands were shaking as he started to sort the spices in his kitchen, and the coffee mugs in his cupboard, aligning them by size and color, which really had no real purpose.

He was just done, when the time was up and his alarm went off.

He puffed out a breath, he didn’t know he had been holding, before staggering back into the bathroom.

“Now or never.” he murmured, sitting down on the edge of his bathtub, picking out the test with shaking fingers. It felt kind of gross to almost touch his own piss, but sacrifices had to be made and all.

Eren was squinting at the lines, having forgotten all about their meaning in those 7 minutes of waiting, before his eyes watered, as it slowly came back to him.

There was a red line and a blue one and another blue one. So the test was correct and positive, which must be a joke. His legs gave away, as he sunk further to the floor, hitting hard tile with his ass, before hiding his face in his knees.

He really had fucked up.

Pregnant, by Levi of all things in the goddamn universe.

After crying for quite a while, the anger about himself, made him lash out and slap the cup into the sink, the last contents getting washed away in the drain, as Eren threw the stick into it too, hoping the water would wash away his result. Would make it go away.

Couldn’t he just wake up from this nightmare?

Eren slowly got to his feet and huddled himself into bed, getting the ice cream and inhaling the contents. Maybe he should ask Nanaba for help, or just pray it would all go away. Maybe there was a way to take care of things.

Maybe if he pretended hard enough, that this was just a bug, it would go away. He couldn’t bear a kid now. He had just started out in the NHL. The spiral of denial was manifesting with every passing minute.

His phone rang, showing Faye on the screen and Eren didn’t want to answer, but knew she would at least listen and help as best as she could.

“Faye.” Eren sniffled.

“Oh Eren baby.”

“I did it…” Eren wailed, pressing his face deeper into the pillow, muffling his crying.

“You did...oh Eren! You mean you did the test?” she asked softly.

“Yes...is positive...is three lines...I...I fucked up.” he hiccuped, before sobbing more.

“Shh dear, it’s okay. You are not alone in this. There is all kind of help nowadays.” Faye tried to comfort him.

“I don’t... don’t want...don’t need help. Can’t be true.” Eren cried.

“EREN YEAGER! I beg you, you don’t really mean what you are saying right now. You are just shocked. Go see your doctor. You still have time to decide what to do about it. You don’t even have to tell Nanaba yet, if you don’t want to. But maybe, just maybe tell the father. Tell Levi.” she urged, voice soft.

“Fuck you FAYE! I’m not going to tell Levi!” Eren sobbed.

“But Eren boo, he deserves to know.” Faye tried to reason with him.

“Like fuck, he needs to know!” Eren spat, hanging up on his sister angrily, before dissolving into tears anew.

“Eren? Eren what am I not supposed to know?” Levi asked, suddenly standing in his bedroom door, face frowning, voice all sorts of alpha steel and Eren really really wanted to die.

“Why are you crying?” Levi asked more gentle as he approached the bed, wondering why the light in the bathroom was still on, deciding to switch it off, as he made his way over. Wasting electricity was one of Yeager’s worst treads.

“DON’T!" Eren screamed rather strangled and scratchy.

“Yeager what the fuck?” Levi stopped half way into the bathroom, arm outstretched to hit the light switch.

“Don’t go in there!” Eren sobbed, hiding his face in his hands. It started to freak Levi out.

“What the fuck is up, Eren? You sound like you killed someone in there, is there a dead body in your bathtub?” Levi asked, aiming for hilarious, as he stepped into the bath, gaze flickering around the room for anything out of the ordinary. There was a cup in the sink along with a color coded stripe, a test of some sort.

“Okay, no dead bodies. Good! Thank god! What test did you had to take, that you are so distressed, Eren?” Levi asked, when he returned to the bedroom, tugging Eren closer to his chest, to keep him from trembling all over the sheets.

“Hey baby, what’s up?” Levi crooned, adding a bit more french endearments, knowing it would do the trick.

“PH value level test.” Eren’s voice was shaky at best, making him sound younger and uncertain. He was not looking at Levi, while the lie slipped from his lips. He couldn’t say it, couldn’t ruined all they had. He didn’t even know what it was. A tender careful connection at best. Levi had suggested the way out himself with his question and Eren had just latched onto it and ran with it. Now all left was praying Ackerman would believe him.

Levi was in doubt, but Eren was so off, he didn’t say anything, just cuddled the omega closer, tried to calm him down again to the best of his abilities. The sniffling and tears lessened, until they stopped and Eren sighed deeply, nosing at Levi’s neck, body half on top of the alpha’s chest.

“I want ice cream.” the omega murmured, sleepily but with determination and Levi wouldn't deny him all the ice cream in the world, if it made him feel any better.

“It’s in the freezer.” Eren murmured, not moving an inch. He didn’t want to get up and he didn’t want Levi to leave him, but he wanted ice cream.

Of course Levi got him covered, leaving the bed in lightning speed, before coming back with a spoon and the last bit of Yeager's Ben and Jerry's haul.


	15. Hello you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are truly amazing. I'm so grateful to be writing for you. After a lot of vocabulary struggle (yes this work still runs without an actual beta, because let's be honest: I'm a horrible impatient person to work with) and well English is only my second language, you will be harassed by a lot of mistakes probably... just hand wave it or be nice and tell me about it, so I can go fix it in the aftermath. Also lot's of hand waving on all the medical terms (even though I did research so fucking much, hours upon hours of research went into this fic, you have no fucking idea). I'm scared it turned into a complete disaster, but rest assured I tried my hardest! I hope you enjoy this part. It was supposed to feature one more scene, but if I would have added that idea as well, we would probably end up with a 15k update and I guess this will be hard to digest as big as it is. But do not worry, the scene will come up in the next chapter :) I just had to put a cut right there for now. Happy reading peers.

Eren had no idea how he did manage it, but when Monday rolled around, he still hadn't told Levi and so far successfully avoided Dr. Hanji Zoe. He had suited up for practice as always and while Levi still frowned at him, asking “Are you okay?” every other 10 minutes, since he had caught him throwing up again that morning. Well things could be way more awkward at best. Horseface was eyeing him somewhat skeptical, but other than chirping, nothing left that big Canadian’s mouth and Eren had one skate on the ice already, ready to go take a stride right to center ice, when a hand on his shoulder stopped him dead in his tracks.

“What do you think you are doing son? You’re coming with me, right now.” the head coach's deep voice rumbled, before his hand fell away. Eren felt like a bucket of ice water had been emptied out into his blood system. The fear that suddenly rattled his small frame seemed to be broadcasted through the entire arena, that Levi’s gaze from the other end of the rink settled on him straight away, eyebrows raised in question and thighs tensing, ready to come over in one big stride.

Eren turned towards Erwin Smith with his head bowed, avoiding eye contact, trying to seem respectful towards the alpha. Their usual staff were beta’s, but since Pixis left, the GM thought they would need some more guidance, so Erwin Smith was hired to run them to the ground, worse than a marine officer.

“Okay coach.” Eren whispered softly, almost choking on the words. He was terrified of yet another meeting with the directors of the organization. Last time Erwin had approached him, for exactly that matter. 

  
  


Jean stepped off the ice, from where he had been leaning against the bench, waiting for his turn, his big hand coming down on Eren’s shaking shoulder gently.

“Everything okay? Is there a problem coach?” the alpha asked, filling in for Levi, without being asked - authority clear in his words, as he exchanged a look with their coach.

“Don’t worry Kirschtein. He will be back in a few minutes, I just need him to talk to the doctor, since the paper work for his ice time today is still missing. But Eren looks fine, so he will be back with all of you in a second.”

“Are you sure, that’s all this is about?” Jean pressed. He would wave over Ackerman without a second thought, just to get his point across and to have Yeager’s back, hell the omega was an annoying brat, but team always comes first.

“Of course.” Smith sighed, rubbing his stubbled chin thoughtfully, eyes darting over the rink. He could feel Ackerman’s glare burn through him.

“Okay, if it is.” Jean amended, directing his gaze at Eren. “Are you okay with this bud? Should Laser come with you?” Eren nodded, still in turmoil, but having calmed down a fraction. “I’m okay, no need for any of you to follow, but thank you.” he mumbled honestly, feeling Horseface squeeze his shoulder once more, before his grip lessened and disappeared, as he let go of the omega.

He followed the coach back to the locker room reluctantly. He was so fucked. What if Smith already knew? What if the alpha’s in the office knew? What was he supposed to do then?

“See you at practice in a few.” Erwin said, leaving Yeager in the locker room to the doctor’s hands, who had just stepped in and closed the door behind herself. Both of them waiting and listening for the shut of the door, as the coach left and it was just the two of them left.

“Dr. Zoe” Eren mumbled.

“Eren.” the doctor greeted, sounding a little pissed, but not mad. “I couldn’t get a hold of you via phone, so sorry for making this uncomfortable for you. At least you had a chance to make this meeting different, but obviously choose not to.” she says, dropping into the stall to the omega’s left side.

“I was kinda busy.” Eren lied, shrugging his shoulders - busy freaking out about being pregnant - he doesn’t add.

“Well, your test results came back and if I’m not mistaken, I suppose you were busy being sick, weren’t you?” Hanji asked, salty as hell.

“Maybe.” Eren argued, not suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. “Can you just sign my ice time, so I can go skate.” the right winger mumbled, looking down on his skates, ready to get up and leave right away.

“I’m afraid it’s not that easy, Eren. If I do this, I could actually lose my job.” Eren frowned at her. What the fuck was she even talking about?

“But I want to skate.” Eren protested weakly. It was all he had left to comfort himself. The doctor surely couldn’t refuse him that, there had been other players playing with an injury for months, because of looming playoffs, or just because they wanted to deal with stuff in the off season instead.

“Eren, I don’t know if I should congratulate you, or if I should be disappointed with you. I’m not even asking how you actually managed it, but you are pregnant and I’m not allowed to let you take the ice in that state. There is too much at risk, if you get hit during the game or suffer any other injury.” Dr. Zoe explained.

“What does it matter? What’s the worst that can happen? I was shaken up a lot in the past, it didn’t actually kill me.” Eren argued, playing with the laces on his skates, in an attempt to distract himself. Hanji sighed long and clear next to him.

“You don’t sound really happy about it, so I assume you already were aware of that fact, okay. Do I actually want to know, since when you knew about your pregnancy and decided against better judgement to keep this detail to yourself? The worst that can happen is the risk of miscarriage obviously. And you might tell me right now, that you don’t care, but that doesn’t give me permission to let you proceed and take the ice.” the beta woman said. “You know the rules, the contract for omega’s. I have no idea how much you know from omega class. Don’t look at me like that! I’m not going to lecture you right now, but I think you are underestimating the situation Eren.” Dr. Zoe told him, as firmly as she could.

“I know, I know about you having to report every tiny fucking thing. I know how the organisation expects me to...whatever! I don’t fucking care okay. It’s my decision. If I think I can take that risk, I will fucking take it. It will be the last time anyway. The organisation is going to kick me the fuck out, the minute after you told them. And just for the record, I wasn't hiding fucking anything. I only found out yesterday!” Eren snarled, tears making his voice wobble on the words.

“Listen Eren.” Hanji said in that shitty gentle tone, as if she would care. “If you really want to skate so desperately, I can sign you up for no contact hockey. So you can at least practice. I will also have to refer you to a special OB GYN, to get a clear picture, about what we are talking about. I can only assume you are maybe about 4 weeks along from the stats of your hormone levels in the latest blood sample, but given your messed up hormones from the shot, the extra dose you got and the time your last heat occurred, I would say it could be more. I can’t actually help you in any way about your obvious wish of getting this terminated, I can only tell you that there are 12 weeks of danger for your kid anyway and in those 12 weeks time you have the option to decide what you want to do about it. If we get past the 12 weeks mark, I will be forced to report this to management. If you haven’t told them yourself by then and there is nothing you can do about it. Do you understand? I’m not doing this to piss you off, I’m just trying to not lose my job. Actually, yes, I would need to walk out that door right this second to report you to the higher ups, but instead I’m giving you some room and time to think about it, putting myself at risk with this. It will also give you time to speak to your alpha about it. I don’t think you should make such a decision alone. So don’t you think I’m the asshole in this situation, you signed yourself right up for. I’m already lying to the coaches, saying we are dealing with an upper body injury and I will call it like that, until the mark of 12 weeks is reached, for your own benefit, Eren!” Hanji lectured him, giving him a stern look over her shitty glasses, ponytail swinging softly from her animated gesturing.

“And what reassures me, you are not going to run out that door and tell the captain and everybody else in a heartbeat?” Eren laughed bitterly, trying to wipe away the stray tears, that had managed to escape his eyes, despite his best effort to keep them in.

“Well I’m not supposed to tell you, but Ackerman actually came by my office this morning and he had a lot of questions, so at least take time out of your day to talk to him of all people. And as far as I know, you spent your last heat with him, which you know… you don’t need me to elaborate on that Eren, do you? Unless there is a bunch of other people you hooked up with, we don’t know about, then I would advise you to talk up right now.” Dr. Zoe huffed, as if a little overwhelmed herself.

“I… I’m sorry… yes okay... I will talk to Levi.” Eren mumbled. “I’m just… I don’t know shit fuck, don’t take hockey away from me yet, please.” he pleaded, tears welling up in his eyes anew.

“I can give you 1h of yellow jersey time, as I told you. I will also ring my colleague and set up an appointment for you, as early as possible. So I fucking beg you, to stop by my office after skating, to actually get the appointment this time. And to actually get back to me, once you’ve been seen by the OB GYN. Otherwise I will revoke all my promises and will tell the GM and coaches what’s going on. This is no fucking around now, Eren. This is about your health and your career. I hope you take that into account, the next time you choose to ignore me.” the beta said, getting to her feet with a sigh.

“‘Kay.” Eren mumbled, shoulders slumping forward in defeat. He dragged his regular jersey back over his head, from where he had discarded it minutes earlier, watching Hanji sign the needed paperwork and threw on the thin yellow jersey he had been given on top of it, before following the doctor back to the rink. His limbs felt like lead, as he finally stepped onto the ice and watched Dr. Zoe talk to Erwin for a second, handing over the slips of paper, before disappearing.

He had one hour left, his last hour of all things probably. He couldn’t help but feel sad about it. His teammates glanced over, as he took to the ice and the low murmur of wonder about his yellow jersey, was shut down quickly by a glaring Levi. Of course, everyone would be worried, since the omega hadn’t made the impression of being injured before.

Eren could understand their confusion, for the most part, but he choose to ignore it, instead of addressing it with a placating lie and went back to passing rebounds with the board on his own, out of the way of the actual drills. The stick felt good in his hands, something he would truly miss. The smell of a fresh sheet of ice, the glide beneath his skates, the weight of the puck on his tape. It was almost enough to draw new tears to the surface. All his life Eren had been working for this and one night with Levi ended it in a heartbeat. Just because he had been careless.

Quotes his father used about omega’s and where they belonged, were trying to invade his mind, filling him up to the brim with that bitter taste of failure. But this was his last time on ice, he wouldn’t let the traditional alpha ruin this for him, like he had ruined everything else in his life. 

Eren stick handled aggressively, ignoring his Gatorade, for some more time with the stick in his hand, for some more ice beneath his feet. There was time to hydrate later on. He really wanted to skate harder, faster, take the entire rink up, but couldn’t find the strength in his limbs - the exhaustion holding him back. “Can’t you just give me that!” Eren murmured annoyed at himself, not really realising that a part of him, was already talking to the kid - not treating it any longer like an IT, something he could pretend never happened - but accepting it. He hasn’t made up his mind yet, but the direction his unconscious mind was taking, was leading him to a clearer path all the same.

“Eren?” Levi stopped a few feet in front of him, giving Eren time to stop his stride, without crashing into his captain.

Levi was the last person he wanted to talk to right now and should be the first altogether. He could of course just bet on Levi getting out of the way in time, if he wanted to be an ass about things, but the alpha’s expression was so gentle and Eren felt so tired, that he actually stopped in front of the alpha, glancing up to him through his visor with big teal green eyes, watching the spray of ice settle on the alpha’s pants.

“Yeah.” he wheezed, sniffling from the cold.

“Take a break, don’t forget about hydrating.” Levi worried, shoving a bottle of Gatorade in his gloved hand, that was hanging limply at Eren’s side, not holding onto his stick any longer.

“Thanks.” Eren mumbled, sipping gingerly at the drink, afraid it would cause another round of nausea. Being sick at the rink was really out of the cards for today. He had other things to worry about, but he still felt queasy.

“So, what’s up with the no contact? What happened?” Levi asked, eyebrows raised, worry pulling the corner of his mouth downwards. Eren took a moment to breathe, taking all his courage to be bold and ask his captain straight out. The implied threat of the doctor making the words feel clumsy in his mouth.

“Like, can we talk about this somewhere else? Later maybe. I mean, you can come over to my place or so.” Eren said softly, voice almost fading into nothingness at the end.

“That sounds bad, I’m not going to lie to you, but of course we can talk somewhere more private.” Levi assured him, arm reaching out for Eren’s helmet, tapping it lightly, before his fingers lingered for a second longer in the sweaty strands of hair at the nape of his neck, poking out from under his helmet.

“But you’re okay for now?” Levi checked.

“Need to, eh.” Eren murmured bitterly, eyes cast down, afraid that the sudden rush of tears would show and make Levi worry even more. The captain could still smell the sadness in the air.

“Whatever it is smol titan, I’m sure we will get through this. Hold on tight.” he whispered into the right winger’s ear, using his arm across the omega’s shoulders to pull him in for a quick one armed hug.

“I promise, Eren. Je t’ai eu, mon cher.” he said once more, before skating away. Eren swallowed hard on the sob, caught in his throat. Levi really knew how to push all his buttons and now that he had made the first step, maybe telling Levi wouldn’t be so hard after all? But still, telling him would add so many complications on top of everything else.

Eren only had time to take two more laps around the rink, before coach blew the whistle to signal a break for everybody, which also meant Eren's hour was up and he had to leave the ice. The way back to the locker room made him flinch, he would probably never see it again in his life. No more exit through the tunnel on a game day, into the bright light of the arena. No more breathless intermission interviews right on the spot, after coming off a hard shift on the ice. He sighed heavily, as he crossed the locker room to his stall, careful not to step onto the Indian head in the middle, rubbing a towel Annie from the staff head given him across his face, before sitting down and starting to undress. There was Armin Arlert in the stall right next to him and Farlan Church the Slovak veteran on his other side. Farlan was one of the last to step into the locker room, when Eren had already showered and was in the process of finishing getting dressed. He snatched his usual jersey from its hanger, stuffing it into his duffle. One last reminder, that he had actually been part of the top league, before fucking everything up. The thought still bitter on his tongue, as he waved halfheartedly at the team, before slipping away to the examination room to get his appointment.

Hanji was glad that Eren showed up as promised in the first place, she had however managed to book him in right after his practice, leaving Eren only forty five minutes to get to the OB GYN's office, without being horrible late. At least he had a car drop him off, instead of having to take the El, but only when he entered Dr. Ral’s office, he realized that THIS was it!

There was no going back now. It seemed friendly on first glance, the walls a soft yellow, that bordered on egg shell and a few photos of kids placed along the corridor to the reception desk. Faye would recognize the photographer probably right away, if she would have been with him. To Eren it looked all like Anne Geddes - babies in and around or even as flowers, dressed up like lady bugs and little ferries or bees, like right out of a movie, a couple of black and white shots too. A nurse was already waiting for him and the right winger was glad no one called his name out loud. The vibe of the office was making Eren nervous, for a second, it felt as if he would be walking on the green mile. The end of his promising career imminent. Nothing would be the same, once he left after meeting with Dr. Ral.

The nurse led him into an examination room, asking him to sit down on the examination table, before taking his blood pressure and a vile of blood too. “Just for the usual check ups, will be back from the lab, before your meeting is over.” She promised, before she left him alone to wait.

Eren felt giddy and nervous and he wanted to pace the room, but that would look awkward and as if he was losing his calm, in case the doc walked in on him, so he settled to play with his thumbs, waiting patiently.

“Hello Mister Yeager, I’m Dr. Petra Ral, I’m going to take care of you from now on.” Dr. Ral greeted him, as she entered the room, with a bright smile, her strawberry blond hair tied in a long ponytail, swinging over her shoulder slightly. She looked fairly young, not older than 35 years tops and her voice was collected and gentle as her brown eyes assessed him.

“Hi.” Eren offered, kicking his legs a little.

“Dr. Zoe gave me all the details already, so I would say let’s have a look.” she smiled, motioning for Eren to take a seat on the chair in front of her desk. Eren staggered slightly to his feet and made his way over, flopping down in the chair.

He watched her pull up a file on her computer, pressing a few keys on the keyboard, before facing him again.

“So just to check back with you, you’ve been on suppressants since you turned 13, right?”

“Yeah, I got my last shot... I think in October. I got two in October, though.” Eren recalled for her.

“I see, though you didn’t get any hormone shots since October?”

“No.” Eren replied honestly, now that he had it laid out like that, he could see it for himself, it had been four months since he had taken suppressants.

“Well and you went into heat on November 13th according to your documents, the team doctor forwarded to me. How long did it last, do you know?”

“I’m not sure, it was going on for quite a while, before that day, maybe 2 or 3 days. I remember getting home on the 20th right after my birthday, so maybe it took a little longer. It still felt like just 2 days so.” Eren mumbled. He was good with remembering dates and statistics, but with all the heat haze his mind had been in, he got kind of mixed up. He was no longer sure, when he and Levi returned home, or for how long they had been in that hotel room back in Columbus.

“That’s okay. It’s common to get confused, when heat strikes, don’t worry. It just makes it easier to have the exact dates, when it comes to calculating the day your kid is due.” Dr. Ral replied, tipping a few notes into his file, as she spoke. She didn’t miss the way Eren flinched at her answer. He wasn’t dumb enough to believe, that both tests he had undergone where sporting a false result, it just still felt weird to know, that he was pregnant. That there actually was a tiny human growing inside of him.

“Did you and your alpha engage again after your heat? Is there any other heat related intercourse I need to know about, that is not already in your papers?”

“Nooo!” Eren exclaimed a little too loudly, seriously he wasn’t keeping tabs on when he got laid. Did someone even do this shit? But even if he and Levi would have gotten down and dirty to business, he remembered enough from omega class to know, that he only could get pregnant during heat, with all the additional hormones needed for breeding being out and about crushing his system. Unless Dr. Ral wanted to imply he was a needy whore selling himself out.

“Okay, that makes it easier to find the period of time you must have fallen pregnant. I mean, I’m just assuming by now, but your blood results suggest it and we are running a few test on your last samples right now, in the background, so I’m pretty certain, what we are dealing with here.” Dr. Ral smiled fondly.

“I took a test at home, two days ago though.” Eren confessed.

“Well, do you mind sharing the result?” the doctor asked.

“It was positive.” Eren mumbled, as Dr. Ral’s computer made a sound, signaling a new mail.

“Well, I think that was pretty correct. I just got your lab results of the Antenatal Group Bloods in and your hormone levels have increased, since the last test taken by your team doctor, so I would say there is definitely a kid on the way. All your vitamins, as well as iron levels are pretty low, which is another strong indicator. We really need to do something about that.” She made it sound, as if babies were the best thing ever and Eren couldn’t help, but smile a little himself.

“Okay Mister Yeager, one last question and then we are going to get a look on your unborn kid. Just to make sure, everything is okay. Did you experience any bleeding after your heat broke?”

“No, I felt like crap for days, I had some really evil cramps that only were manageable with strong painkillers, but no bleeding.” he replied honestly.

“That’s a little unusual, but looking at your record I would say, you are down for an interesting ride anyway, since nothing seems to be the regular in your case. So could you hop on the table for me and lift your shirt, tuck your pants a little down too? I will get the ultrasound ready in the meanwhile.” Dr. Ral said, giving him a beaming smile.

Eren went back to the examination table, lied down and pulled his shirt up. Well he looked a little bloated to his own eyes, but nothing really out of the ordinary. Sure his pants felt a bit tight on his ass, but there was a hockey butt hidden in there, okay.

Dr. Ral followed him, dimming the light as she went, pressing a few buttons on the machine to start it, getting the screen to flicker to life.

“Well, it can get a bit cold now, but I need you to stay as still as possible, okay.” She instructed, slathering the ultrasound gel on his lower abs, before putting the wand on it, spreading it a little as she moved around. Eren tried really hard, but shivered at the strange sensation nevertheless, before going still again. His fingers clenching at the fabric of his pants in fear. He wasn’t sure whether he wanted to watch or not, but as he glanced over, upon hearing Dr. Ral mutter to herself, it wasn’t making so much of a difference.

There was just lots of black and grey blobs and lines. Nothing that would make sense to him anyway. What actually was getting difficult, was the pressure she put on his bladder with the wand and he felt close to pee his pants, chanting to himself - Hold it! Hold it! Hold it! - unheard.

“It’s looking good, so far.” Dr. Ral smiled, guiding her hand a little over to the right side and pressing more buttons. “You seem to be about 13 weeks along from the look of things, compared to the data we have gone over before, which, well not much we can do about it anymore. It’s already a keeper, making itself at home. If you look over here, there’s the umbilical cord, your baby's life line while in your womb. That right here is your baby's head, it’s a little shy right now, curled in on itself. Let me take some measurements.” She said, moving the cursor around, while Eren watched in awe at the tiny grey blob. Now that she pointed it out, he could see it. The little human inside him. But it also seemed strange, to know that it already been so long, since he had been with Levi in Columbus. He totally lost track of time.

“It’s a little on the small side, for the time. About 2.3 inches  from crown to rump , while it should be about 3 inches by now, usually it will grow about a millimeter a day. I know that probably is hard for you to imagine, but it’s about the size of an espresso cup. Your baby's head will now start to grow more slowly, while the growth of the rest of his body accelerates, and his face begins to look more human. So don’t be scared, if you can’t make out so much yet. That little black spot in the middle is the heart. It’s going strong. Little fighter here.” she laughed, pressing a button on the machine, setting the doppler to work, as the little heartbeat echoed around the room.

“Wow!” is all Eren can muster in surprise. He’s actually listening to his kids heartbeat and he can’t help, but tearing up a little at that. It’s the sweetest sound he ever heard in his life, despite all fresh skates on ice, this is so pure, it beats everything.  It feels so strange having it laid out like that.

“I can make a few prints for you, if you like.” Dr. Ral offers, moving over to the left, which made Eren hiss, because: hey that hurt on his poor bladder!

“Everything alright?” she checked up on him concerned.

“Yeah, just a bit much on my bladder.” Eren whispered, feeling his face flush as the doctor laughs on.

“It’s actually good, that your bladder is filled, gives us a better view on things”. Eren stared at her bewildered. Is she actually saying his baby looks better with some piss to cover up - like what the fuck?

“The fluid makes it easier, the sound waves travel better through liquid, so a full bladder can enhance the quality of your ultrasound. You won’t be allowed to pee, before your next ultrasound either, so you better get used to it, Mister Yeager. But if it helps to know, as your uterus and the fetus grow, resulting in more amniotic fluid, a full bladder matters less. Something to look up too, isn’t it?“ She moved the wand around, eyes following the shift of images on the screen in front of her. Eren doesn’t know what she’s looking for, but he finds himself desperately hoping, that everything is okay. He realized, that the prospect of having to endure this again in a couple of weeks time, is not something he really fancies. But he has so many questions going around in his head. Thirteen weeks pregnant, so it was Levi’s kid he was carrying, as if there ever had been a doubt about it, anyway. But 13 weeks also meant, he was keeping the baby, his time was up and he had to tell the team. Eren felt a little panic coming on by that thought.

“It’s okay, Mr. Yeager. Don’t worry. Everything looks good so far. I ran the nuchal translucency test, or NT test how we call it, which evaluates your risk of birth defects. In addition to your lab results, you really have nothing to worry about. It all looks healthy. There was a bit of a shadow on the left, but after getting a few pictures of it, I’m sure it’s just fluid shifting around, that’s why it took a little longer to examine you. ” Dr. Ral said softly, handing him some paper towels to get rid of the gel on his stomach. “Just hop on the scale for me, and then I’m going to answer all your questions, if you have any.” She said, waiting for Eren to get ready, buttoning his pants back up and pulling his shirt down, before he shuffled over to the scale, while she turned the dimmed lights back on.

“Well, you lost even more weight, we really need to do something about hat.” Petra said, noting the result into his file.

“You might not feel the weight loss yet, but it’s there. I’m going to put you on supplements and extra prenatal vitamins to help your deficiencies and I have some pamphlets for you, that can help you organise your diet and help with the nausea too. So I think we have that covered, booking you in for your next sonogram at 18 weeks as usual, but if anything happens, anything that feels unusual or painful at all, you need to come in for a check up right away. I will assign you to one of our midwife's too, you can meet her right after this appointment if you like. See how you get along, or if you would like to be assigned to someone else. You will see your LMC monthly from now on until you are around 28 weeks, then fortnightly until 30 weeks and after that, you will have weekly appointments. We like to keep a closer eye on the guys here. Since from experience you hardly ever carry to full term. We observed, that male pregnancies are also a little rushing things, your kids are faster in development, and therefore having your kid 2 weeks earlier doesn’t make much of a difference. Also, I think you will start showing quite soon, with the growth going on and all. Your kid weighs about 0.71 oz by now, which hardly is anything at all, but believe me, the rate will skyrocket soon enough.”

“So full term is like…?” Eren dared to ask. Dr. Ral gave him a warm smile.

“Full term, means 40 weeks, but as I said you guys hardly ever get there. The average makes it up to 36, some even to 38 weeks.” Eren is stunned into silence. He knew he would waddle around for some time, but to hear the numbers still beats him to it.

“Any other questions?”

“I’m not sure, will my chest get even more irritated?” he mumbled, rubbing over one nipple, where the fabric of his shirt irritated him.

“Well, it won’t go away, but the good thing is, that only 35% of carriers actually do lactate at all. It’s more a hormone induced thing with you guys. If you lactate, it won’t be the same as with girls, so don’t be scared. You won’t grow 2 cup sizes of boobs in the next months. There might be a mild swelling to the end of your third trimester, to get the little milk gathered ready, but that’s about it. Your body will only produce enough for one feeding of your new born kid, it helps with the bonding and after that, the bottle will take over the job. But a lot of guys in the past told me, that while lactating in pregnancy was making them uncomfortable, they never wanted to trade the first moment their newborn latched onto them for anything. It’s supposed to be a pretty intimate moment.” Dr. Ral smiled, watching Eren blush and squirm a little in his seat. For all he knew, he would be one of those 35% of people, which made him just that tiny little bit more special.

“What else can happen, that is actually normal? Just so, you know, I do not freak out over nothing.” Eren murmured.

“Well you should take good care of your teeth and gums, you might experience some bleeding of your gums, this is a result of increased blood supply and thickening in the gums. You also should check in with your team doc once a week for regular blood pressure measurements. Yours had been a little elevated and we need to have a close look on that. It’s a common pregnancy thing, since your total blood volume is increasing, but it can be trouble all the same. Your little one has mastered so much already with you. It has hands and arms and legs, even fingernails and fingerprints, is already growing hair. It’s the little details that make us fall in love with them, Mr. Yeager. And there is no going back now. The risk of miscarriage is still there, it never really leaves, so I have to tell you, that you are banned from playing regular games or contact hockey at all.” Dr. Ral said. “You might find, that your level of tiredness will go down a little, that you have more energy in the next weeks, which is totally normal for the second trimester. You should start looking into things. Go shopping a little, it’s easier now, than later and you can still take up swimming, to maintain a little of your physique. Walking is fine too, just don’t over do it.” she said, not even hinting, that she would have expected Eren to say no to the kid inside him. All the confidence and joy his doctor portraits, is actually giving Eren hope and he can’t find it in himself to resent the little life. There is no discussion whatsoever, whether or not he’s going to keep this kid. Levi’s or not.

HE WILL KEEP THIS KID!  IT’S HIS!

“Thank you so much.” Eren choked a little on the words, feeling overwhelmed all of a sudden.

“I know it’s a lot to take in, Mr. Yeager. Rest a little and I will see you soon.” she smiled, shaking his hand and handing over the pamphlets, as well as the prescriptions.

Eren does meet with the midwife, even in the face of tears and all, and she is such a friendly person, he loves her right away. She reminds him of Nanaba, so he’s pretty sure, they will get along well.

The only thing left for him to do now is tell Levi and Hanji Zoe. He doesn’t know which is the worst, as he climbs into the cab, making his way home.

Maybe talking to Levi would be easier, because -FUCK- only now does he remember, that he’d asked Levi to stop by his place. He better got home fast now, to not let the alpha wait too long. He had spent what felt like hours at the OB GYN and practice must have wrapped up ages okay.

When Eren checks his phone, he finds, he’s luckily just on time, but asks the driver to hurry up anyway. He really wanted a few minutes to himself, before facing his captain.


	16. Declarations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today is my birthday, so happy birthday to me I guess. Enjoy reading brats :) Does that count as fluffy enough?

Eren can’t help himself but sigh, as he gets to his front door, finding no one lurking around, as he makes his way in and shuts the door behind himself, locking it in place, just for good measure.

He made a beeline for his bathroom, because fuck his life, he had to take a piss again.

Also he really needed a warning sign, if Levi would come in like he had grown used to, by just using the key without further announcement. That probably doesn't count, as the purpose it was handed him for.  Eren was way too much in his own head, to deal with an alpha striding into his place just like that.

Because fuck, he really was pregnant, knocked up, getting fat, bearing a kid, whatever he would call it, it ended up the same.

He was about to become a fucking dad and there was no way around it. No sudden last minute exit available and he deserved to freak out about it in peace. The sudden responsibility making the bile in his throat rise again, nauseating him. But there hardly was anything left to throw up, which left him dry heaving for a few moments, before he felt safe enough to leave the bathroom. His career as good as over, because he couldn’t picture himself nursing a newborn and playing hockey in the schedule the Blackhawks used, or any other team. He could be glad, if he ever made it back into a beer league, showing off for 2 or 3 games a season at best. By the time the kiddo would be old enough to stay home alone, his best years of being able to play hockey would be over. He wasn’t as strong or sturdy like an alpha, not capable like Bozado the veteran, who still played with 3 kids at home. Well Bozado had a mate to watch over his litter, but still. He was Eren not Oluo Bozado.

With his career on the line, he would be lying, if he didn’t feel awful, because there was so much more to think about now and despite his own family, who had kicked him out for his presented dynamic. Which all things considered, left him with his chosen family the Zacharias, who took him in abandoned and by himself, loved him like their own son regardless, and Faye, who had come back for him, he still treasured that little family he had. He couldn’t find it in himself to resent the life he and Levi had created, if by accident or not didn’t matter. The unborn baby would be part of his family too.

Eren slumped down on his couch exhausted, after getting a bottle of gatorade from the fridge and placing the medications on his breakfast bar. Dr. Ral had given him the first few for free, it would last him for the next 3 days, so he could start right away, but she also handed him a prescription for the follow up, that Eren would need to get. But he didn’t feel like going to the pharmacy today, it could wait until tomorrow at least.

His head was swirling with all kind of ways, how to break it to Ackerman, but nothing seemed to cover the entirety of the impact, the news would have on them, on the team, on Levi himself. He pulled the pictures out the doctor had given him, tracing the outline of the little blob with his finger. That was his baby right there. The life, that was actually turning his own upside down. He would need to tell Nanaba and Faye, but first he had to tell the news to his captain, since he was affected the most by it.

Eren shivered, when the thought crossed his mind, that maybe Levi wouldn’t be happy about it, the cheer possibility of Levi being repulsed by the baby, brought Eren close to tears. He couldn’t pull this off by himself. He needed Levi’s approval, his encouragement. He needed Levi to say, that everything was going to be ok. His emotions were all over the place and he was actually crying silently, when he heard Levi knocking, before the key turned. Eren startled and pushed the photos hurriedly under his thigh, sitting on his own hands to cover them, body tense with fear and still sobbing. At least his captain had knocked politely, instead of storming right in.

“Eren?” Levi called from the hallway, sounding unsure, as if he was weighing the options of whether or not the omega would be home and didn’t want to intrude. Always the polite Canadian that he was.

Eren sniffled slightly, trying his hardest to wipe away the tears with the sleeve of his sweater, as he called out for Levi to join him in the living room. It didn’t take the captain too long to identify the tears, that were covering his right wingers voice, making him sound choked up and even younger. Despite ice crashing through his veins, making him shiver with the cold feeling coming over him, Levi did not dash into the living room like a mad man, but took his sweet time to get rid of his sneakers and walk over in a human pace, to find Yeager sitting on his couch, with tears running down his pale face.

“Oh Eren, mon cher.” Levi cooed, flopping down next to him and drawing him in for a hug. Eren hiccuped at the endearment coming from the center’s lips, afraid that, after he had broken the news, those sweet words might turn vile. But it made no sense to lie to Levi, he deserved better from him than that. Nevertheless Eren took the moment for himself, to inhale Levi’s maple scent deeply, letting it calm his nerves, and snuggled a little closer to the alpha’s chest. Enjoying the way Levi evoked that feeling of safety within him, that he so desperately needed.

“Better?” Levi asked after a while, when he noticed that Eren had calmed down a little and the tears had stopped falling. He could feel him nod, his mop of brown hair brushing against Levi’s jaw line, making him smile.

“I… I need to tell you something.” Eren choked out.

“I figured as much, from what you told me at practice, but take your time.” Levi said, ruffling Eren’s hair gently. He was curious, of course he was,  but he wouldn’t push for more, than Eren was ready to give him.

“I… I fucked up Levi.” Eren mumbled, still pressed to his chest. “I think, I won’t play anytime soon.” Levi’s eyes widened in shock, a million worst case scenarios rushing through his head all at once. He was wondering how bad it was and also why he hadn’t noticed, that something was wrong with the omega in the first place. He was scared, at least a bit and also angry, that the team doctors obviously needed so much time to come to conclusions too.

“I’m sure it’s not that bad. I’m sure we can find a way somehow.” Levi tried to soothe him, feeling the distress coming off of Yeager in big devastating waves of his scent - heavy summer rain like.

“Levi…” Eren trailed off, putting a little distance between himself and Levi’s protective arms, even though he felt safe in the alpha’s embrace, he didn’t want to be crushed by accident, in case Levi’s temper flared up, upon hearing the news.

“Eren.” Levi  replied softly, hoping to coax more out of the omega.

“I’m… I haven’t told anyone and I’m… oh god.” Eren hiccuped helplessly, wiping his eyes again and inhaling loudly.

“Shh mon cher. It’s okay, whatever it is, it will be okay. I promise!” Levi soothed him. Eren didn’t dare looking at him, as the truth was falling from his lips in a whisper.

“Levi, I’m pregnant. And… it’s you know.” Eren gestured helplessly, before hugging himself. Crossing his arms protectively over his, not yet showing, belly. He wants to cover his ears too, but he only has two hands and he’s expecting the worst from his captain, after he dropped the bomb on him. There are a few seconds of complete silence, before Levi draws in a breath and Eren closes his eyes, scared to be yelled at, but he never expected, Levi to sound all soft and in awe, and didn’t expect him to lean forward with tears in his eyes, hands outstretched hesitantly, as his voice cracks.

“Can I?” he asks, waiting for Eren to open his big green eyes, glancing up at him with so much fear, that turns into confusion, before settling on something overwhelming, as he nods and feels Levi gently tugging away his arms and laying his own wide palm over Eren’s shirt covered belly. Levi’s gaze is intense to say the least, Eren feels like being x-rayed and he knows, there’s probably so many more questions Levi would like to ask. At least they had the where and when covered. They had both been in that hotel room, while heat and rut made them stupid and careless, that moment when Levi was the best thing Eren ever had laid eyes on, when his whole world had only consisted of the alpha and the feeling of happiness and dopy high, as orgasm after orgasm had flooded his entire being.

Levi’s palm is still resting on Eren’s belly, as he looks up at him, steel grey eyes still glazed over.

“I… I don’t know... “ he whispers, seeing Eren’s face fall at the words, but rushes on. “I mean, wow Eren, this is so overwhelming. I mean we did this. I did this to you. You are doing this for me, for us.” Eren looks hopeful again, watching Levi’s eyes water a little.

“You tell me, huh.” Eren smirks a little, he’s close to tears again, hasn’t been expecting Levi to be so awestruck and approving. He had been prepared for the worst meltdown in the history of Canada, but not this.

“Tell me… tell me everything. Have you seen a doctor? Are you okay? Is the baby okay?  Is there anything I can do? Oh my god, we need to…”

“LEVI!” Eren hisses in a wobbly voice. Levi stops dead mid sentence, looking at him, with his mouth half open on the last word.

“Easy, first things first.” Eren says with a small smile, fumbling the pictures out, from where he’d been sitting on them. Eren hands one over, watching Levi stare at it. He looks confused, probably has no idea what he is looking at, so Eren gives him the rundown, with all the info Dr. Ral had given him.

“It’s so tiny. And you’ve been carrying it all this time.” his captain whispers, tracing the outline of his baby, their baby. Eren doesn’t know what to respond to that, so he just keeps waiting, can’t help the small smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

“I… wow I need to tell my parents!” Levi exclaims a few minutes later, determination back in his voice and entire composure.

“I haven’t… haven’t told mine yet. No one knows, except you and the doctors.”  Eren murmurs, scratching his neck shyly. Levi seems surprised at that, hugging Eren closer, hands coming to rest on his tummy. Levi usually isn’t that handsy with him, has never been touchy with him before, except for that one time, when Eren had a mental break down a few weeks ago, right after moving into his new home. But right now, there isn’t one second where some part of Levi is not touching him somewhere and Eren doesn’t complain, he basks in this feeling actually. He wants Levi’s hands all over his body, wants him to stand up for them, wants all of it. He wants Ackerman to be his alpha, to be his everything. Their everything.

“We can do this together if you want. Calling your parents.” Levi offers politely, knowing Eren is referring to his billet family, still smiling into Eren’s hair, feeling the omega snuggle up to him.

“I also need to tell management.” Eren cringes. “You know what that means.” he says sadly.

“I know it will be tough, but I will make sure nothing will happen to you, or to our kid. Screw them, just over my dead body!” Levi huffs, hands grabbing at the soft material of Eren’s t-shirt, fisting slightly. Protectiveness is rolling off of him in thick waves, pushing every ounce of fear as far away from them both as possible. He’s broadcasting alpha to the entire building probably. Eren rubs his nose along Levi’s throat, in a gesture of gratitude. With Levi by his side, he could take on the world - maybe - most likely. Also protective Levi made him hard as nails, but they were still talking - so priorities. Eren could hold back, they haven’t even kissed yet, so climbing Levi like a tree was off limits.

“So this is the only reason you wore the yellow jersey today?” Levi asks, worry still evident in his voice.

“Yes, I wanted to skate so bad, one last time.” Eren murmurs.

“You will skate more, mon cher. I will make sure of that.” Levi assures him, squeezing him extra tightly for a few seconds. For the first time in ever Eren feels the urge to purr for an alpha - for him, to show Levi, how much this means to him, but it’s only a slow rumble in his chest and stops soon after it started. Levi doesn’t comment on it, maybe he had mistaken it for Eren’s stomach rumbling, but it didn’t matter, the cheer fact made Eren’s face flush a beautiful shade of red, as he hid his face in the alpha’s neck, embarrassed about his own instincts. He would even bear his neck to Levi, suck his cock, go on his hands and knees. Fuck those pregnancy hormones, he was feeling all of it!

“Can’t believe this was the reason for you being sick all the time.” Levi smiles.

“Will probably be sick more, but Dr. Ral said it should get better now.” Eren laughs.

“Beautiful stomach bug.” he jokes, making Levi pout at him in mock disdain.

“Do you know, if it’s going to be a boy or a girl?” he asks, still with the same awe and wonder in his voice, as if his heart is about to burst out of his chest with pride. Eren sighs, muscles relaxing more, as he melts into Levi’s presence.

“Not yet, but there is a chance to find out, when I have my next appointment.” Eren says, staring down at their joined hands, enjoying the feeling of Levi’s warm and calloused fingers against his own.

“When is it?” the alpha asks, the question to join Yeager for it, unspoken in an afterthought.

“Soon, in a few weeks.” Eren says, closing his eyes. He really wants to call the Zacharias, but he also really wants to take a nap, with Levi solid and warm next to him.

“No falling asleep just yet, we still need to do some phone calls I assume.” Levi scowls, poking Eren lightly, making him grumble, but reopen his eyes.

“I know.” the omega sighs, digging his cell phone out of his shorts pocket, before thumbing through his contact list, hands shaking a little, before hitting dial and listening to the tone on the other end. He doesn’t put the loudspeaker on, but Levi is close enough to listen in, if he wants to. But his polite Canadian ass probably won’t allow him to -  this much Eren was sure.

“It’ll be okay Eren, I’m here with you.” Levi murmurs, with a hint of guilt underneath, for being so pushy.

“I know.” Eren sighs, his fingers playing over the soft skin of Levi’s wrist, needing the touch to keep himself grounded, while he made his calls.

Well, telling Levi had gone down better, than he had expected and telling Nanaba, wasn’t as bad either. Of course she cried a little, but Eren was certain it were tears of joy. She didn’t show any disappointment in him, just said, that of course times were a little off, but she was certain he could handle it and that they would all have his back. If she cursed out and actually threatened Levi to better step up now and get his fucking shit together! - Well she was not wrong, but it didn’t set Ackerman off, who had heard her loud and clear enough, even without loudspeaker. Mrs. Zacharias seemed to be a strong minded woman. So much he could tell, and hell would freeze over, if he managed to disappoint her. Calling Faye was smooth sailing and did not take long, since she actually still had classes to attend, but she was mocking away joyfully, as she told Eren: “I told you so!” also she knew about the test he had taken, getting approved by an actual OBGYN was still the real deal.

All in all Eren seemed content and at ease when he had hung up.

“See it went okay, mon cher.” Levi mumbled, still holding Eren close and running his hands through his hair. What had Eren done to deserve that? Management wouldn’t be that welcoming for sure, left alone when the media caught wind of it. Only god would be able to help him then.

“Stop thinking. You did enough today, we will take everything on, when the moment calls for it.” Levi murmured, feeling Eren relax at his voice, his scent easing back to that rich apple cake flavor Levi was growing used to.

“You wanted to call your parents.” the omega murmured, poking Levi’s chest with his finger, before stilling his hand and splaying his fingers out, focusing on the feeling of the alpha’s strong and reassuring heartbeat, right beneath his fingertips. He really only wanted Levi to speak more French and lull him off to sleep, but he wouldn’t tell him this.

“Yeah.” Levi smiled. He still had trouble to wrap his mind around it, but the feeling of pride for Eren was unbroken and he wanted to scream it from the rooftops, to whoever would listen. He was pretty sure he knew, why Eren asked about his call, the way the omega melted whenever Levi spoke French to him, was more than obvious and the center had caught on soon enough. It was only a matter of minutes, before Eren was fast asleep, when all Levi did, was actually greet his mom, as she answered the phone and do the polite dose of smalltalk, before bringing the big guns out.

Kuchel was shocked and so was his dad probably, when she would tell him, because Levi  extending his family, at such a young age, was a bit of a surprise, but they both knew how his heart had taken to the omega. So of course she told him, that they had been a little reckless maybe, but they would deal with it. Levi hadn’t been expecting anything else, but his parents support. If he had actually considered to leave Eren and the kid to themselves, his mom would have kicked him up to Canada and back down to Chicago in a heartbeat, until his mind was running on the right track again. Not even a second thought necessary about that, it was clear as day. Through the entire talk, Eren didn’t wake and somehow a part of Levi was grateful for that.

“Mon fils, will you actually tell him that you love him now? And don’t tell me you don’t, you are going to have a baby, dear lord!” Levi groaned at that. The emotions talk was still up to be hold - true, but he didn’t feel like having that one all too soon.

“Maman, do you really think this is so important right now? I just want to look after him and the kid. I would do anything to protect the both of them, so I’m pretty sure Eren  knows that I love him. Why else would I bother anyway?”

“Levi Ackerman, if you think that kid is a mind reader, than dear lord help you! I raised you better than that!” Kuchel chided him.

“Maman!” Levi complained.

“You will have that talk with him, and you will tell him, or I will come down and smash both of your heads together, until you get your stuff straight.” she threatened, making Levi flinch on the other end of the line. He knew his parents took bonding and responsibility seriously and he also knew that she was right. He would need to tell Eren, better sooner than later. The upcoming months would be hard enough for the both of them.

“Ok maman I promise I will do.” Levi gave in.

“Good. That’s my son! So now tell me all about your baby. I want to know everything about my petit enfant.” Kuchel smiled and Levi could feel the warmth coming off of her voice in an instant. Kuchel already loved her grandchild, no matter what. So Levi recited all Eren had told him, just as excited, grinning from ear to ear, before their conversation came to an end, when his dad arrived home from work.

“Are you going to tell dad?” Levi asked.

“Of course I will.” Kuchel said and Levi really wished, he could be in Winnipeg with Eren right now, because his dad was curiously inquiring already, why his mom was in such good spirits. Despite the fact that his parents hadn’t meet Eren yet, they still accepted and loved him all the same, because all they wanted, was for Levi to be happy and damn Eren made him really happy. The raven snapped a picture of the ultrasound and forwarded it to his mom, right after having hung up, before focusing back onto the omega nestled into his side. Eren was stretched out on the rest of the couch, knees drawn up a little and upper body leaning against Levi’s chest heavily. He gently manhandled him down, placing Eren’s head in his lap, so he wouldn’t wake up from his nap with a sore neck. Before taking his phone back up from the coffee table to text with Eld, his fingers instantly curling into Eren’s brunette mop of hair, to fondle at his scalp gently. Their plan to reform the rules in the league was more important now than ever. He wanted Eren to be safe and his unborn kid was reason enough to move things along.

Little did he know, it would take him some more time, than estimated.

When they were cuddled up in bed later that same evening, not having parted for more than a few feet away from each other, Levi really wanted to steal himself away into restful sleep, but his mum's words were running a mile a minute, keeping him on his toes.

Eren was lying next to him, limbs a little tangled and head close to Levi’s chest. He could feel his warm breath ghosting over his exposed skin and watched his eyes moving restlessly under closed eyelids, with his beautiful cheekbones more prominent than usual. It was not hard to recognize that Eren had lost weight from being sick so much, but Levi would help him through every step of the way and he had already asked his mom for tips. The alpha couldn’t help but sigh, which in turn made Eren open his eyes, to glance up at him through thick dark eyelashes, like the little forlorn angel that he was.

“Levi?” Eren shifted a little closer, his arm coming to rest around Ackerman’s waist.

“Smol titan.” the alpha replied all fond.

“Thank you. For everything.” Eren mumbled, nuzzling his nose closer to his chest, bathing in Levi’s prominent alpha scent.

“Not for this Eren. I wouldn’t be doing all of this if…” He needed a moment to breathe around the big words that would follow.

“If what?” Eren asked sleepily, but aware, waiting for him to go on anxiously. Maybe this was it, the moment he had hoped for, the moment he could get some closure.

“If you wouldn’t mean so much to me. This is not just a thing about the team or responsibility, or whatever the fuck those papers write. To me, this is so much more.” he whispered, feeling Eren tense next to him.

“I know you read all of that bullshit in the press, don’t even pretend you haven’t. I’m just so sorry I didn’t say anything sooner.” he murmured, feeling his cheeks flame with shame. He should have been a better alpha in this regard, in so many regards where Eren was his center of attention.

“Are we… are we talking feelings right now?” Eren asked, voice soft around the edges, as if he was amused, but proud all the same, but also clearly underlined with an apprehensive sadness.

“Maybe we do. Name it whatever you want. It’s just I really wanted to… “ Levi sighs heavily, it’s so hard to find the right words, no matter what his mother had said.

“Levi! Just say it.” Eren deadpanned impatiently. He had enough of waiting for Levi’s diva moment to pass. This wasn’t a fucking media interview, where appropriate sound bites were needed, this was way more important and honesty was the only road to go.

“I… I think I love you.” Levi whispered, voice laced thickly with emotions.

“You think?” Eren urged, with a mock sarcastic edge to his voice. What kind of expression was that even? He either was in love or he wasn’t. There was no such thing as a little bit in love.

“I love you.” Levi repeated, hiding his face in Eren’s hair, suddenly afraid that this wasn’t the answer, that Eren had been hoping to hear from him.

“I think I love you too.” Eren murmured, pressing his lips right under Levi’s beating heart in a soft kiss.

“You think, brat?” the alpha laughed, he could feel his entire body shake with it, but it wasn’t a sarcastic or funny kind of laugh, it was more of a relief of tension his body had been holding in, in the past minutes.

“Oh fuck off, you dork!” Eren smiled, poking Levi in the ribs to underline his words, which made him laugh some more and hug the small omega closer.

“I guess that was enough feelings for one night, huh?” Levi mumbled. Still high on that bubbling feeling in his gut.

“Mh, your baby needs sleep.” Eren yawned.

“My baby?” Levi teased, rubbing Eren’s back in soothing circles.

“Ours. Yours and mine, let me go the fuck to sleep loser.” Eren grumped.

“Sûr, mon cher.” he smiled, pressing a kiss to Eren’s exposed temple, feeling the omega’s body go lax next to him, pliant to Levi’s touches and soft murmur of french, as he fell asleep. Levi listened to Yeager’s regular puffs of breath, before drifting off to dreamland himself.

Levi had spent the night over at Eren’s apartment, to get a live review of Eren’s morning sickness in action, that hadn’t left yet. He tried his best to remain calm and composed. Talking Eren into having breakfast, even though he protested meekly: “No Levi it’s just going to make me sick again.”

“I promise, it will get better, if this is what it takes you to eat. Just think about nurturing another human. Our little human.” Levi murmured with a smile, hugging him, watching Eren pick at his toast. “Think about all the crap you are allowed to eat now.” Levi laughs, even feeling a little jealous, but he couldn’t wait for Eren’s belly to show, wanted to see him all round and ready to pop, glowing from the inside out, pregnant with his kid. Eren grumbled, but obeyed, especially easy when Levi bribed him with Lucky Charms. That amount of sugar would usually freak the alpha out for sure, with Levi being such an obsessed health nut and all, but he kept smiling, remembering the ice cream haul. It all made perfect sense now. He had just been majorly blindsided to not notice the obvious.

But it didn’t matter now, now that he knew and that Eren had decided to keep it. That there was no other option, but to keep it, was something Eren hadn’t shared with the alpha, to not dampen the mood and making himself sound like, he was carrying Levi’s offspring, just out of obligation.

It hadn’t come up in their talk at all, whether or not they would go through with it, they both just assumed more or less, but Levi was pretty certain, that the way Eren had smiled at the ultrasound photo and pasted it to his fridge door, was enough confirmation, no more words needed.

“Levi?” Eren had munched around a mouth full of cereal, eyes still sleepy and his hair a mess, curls poking out in all directions,

“Yeah, love?”

“I’m so grateful you don’t drink coffee.” Eren had yawned.

“Uhm, okay but why?”

“It just smells icky and it’s just gross.” Eren explained, way more serious than needed.

“Well, okay. Thanks for telling me.” Levi laughed, thinking, that he caught on,  what Eren was on about and taking another gulp from his Earl Grey tea. It was probably a pregnancy thing, maybe he would ask Marco Bodt what else to look out for, to not upset his omega.

“Can we stop by the pharmacy after skate? I still need to fill my prescriptions.” Eren had asked, after placing his bowl in the sink.

“Sure. No problem. Now go take your shower and get dressed. We don’t want to be late.” Levi smiled, tapping Eren’s boxer clad ass for emphasis.

“Always so bossy captain.” Eren had stuck out his tongue, before disappearing in the direction of the bathroom.

Morning skate came around way too early, and Eren was jittery and nervous all the way to the rink. His face still pale, resting against the car window, as if he was just waiting to push the button to throw up all over the bypassing street. But no such thing happened, thank god. Levi was glad the Lucky Charms didn’t make a reappearance, at least not for now. Things could turn left at the rink within a heartbeat.

If Levi had any chance, he would find a way to tell management without Eren actually needing to be present. It was Eld’s idea actually, to do this for him, but Levi was full on board. With all those old traditional farts, he wasn’t keen on a repetition of the last office meeting. Hell, he would even put his career up for fight to prevent something like this from happening ever again. He would protect Eren at all coast.

HE’S MINE! NO ONE CAN TAKE THIS AWAY FROM ME!

Eren could feel the possessiveness surrounding Levi, but it didn’t make him uncomfortable, it just urged him to purr, to show Levi, that he approved.

I’M HIS EVERYTHING. I’M NOT GOING TO SHARE HIM WITH ANYONE! He thought and kept his hand on the middle console, feeling Levi’s pinky entwine with his own. They could take on the world together.

“I love you.” Levi mumbled, and sealed his lips with a gentle kiss, after they had parked in front of the United Center.

“I love you too.” Eren whispered against Levi’s lips.

“Nothing will happen to you, not today, not tomorrow, not ever, mon cher. I promise!” Levi murmured, leaving a kiss on Eren's forehead, before getting out of the car and getting their duffels.


	17. Clarification

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost forgot to post (bc those hate comments I got made me so mad and I didn't even feel like finishing this fic) , will be busy the next days so maybe or maybe not updating before the next weekend, this and the chapter after this one are quite the bomb sheels you might need time to digest... I dunno.  
> so I don't think it's necessary but I will warn for it nevertheless: there will be lot's of screaming (Capslock) and slurs and curses

They received a few awkward glances, as they made their way to Dr. Zoe’s office, but Levi didn't let go of Eren's hand. He could feel the omega shaking with nerves next to him and glared everyone down, who even thought about making a comment.

Which worked pretty well, except for Jean Kirschtein, because of course it would never work with Horseface.

“Ohhhhh, ACK. God help us, what is that smell of bonded alpha? I thought I never would see that day. Cuuuuute!” Jean drawled mockingly, but wearing a blinding smile, betraying his real impression.

“Shut up Horseface!” Levi snarled, challenging him with one of his death glares from hell, Jean just laughed, raising his hands in a placating gesture, shooing them both away. Eren rubbed his cheek against Levi’s shoulder, grumbling to draw his attention back. He didn't want him fighting with their alternate captain and if he couldn’t purr, he would at least attempt to soothe the center.

“It’s okay Eren. I wasn’t planning on fighting him.” Levi smirked, basking in the trust the omega showed him, before knocking on the doctor’s office door and they both entered.

“Hey Eren, oh hey Ackerman can you wait outside?” Hanji asked, confused of seeing both of them entering, since it had been only yesterday that Eren had been hell bent on keeping the pregnancy to himself. Levi frowned at her, right out glared her down in a challenge.

“It’s okay, if he stays. I want him to.” Eren mumbles shyly, already about to draw a hole into the ground with nerves jiggling his leg, until Levi lowered his hand, fingers digging into Eren’s waist, to keep him still and calm him down, maple scent soothing the omega next to him.

“Well in this case, have a seat.” Dr. Zoe replied, looking a little uneasy. As a beta she had literally no idea what was going on between the both of them, the disadvantage of being scent blind.

“Good choice, shitty glasses.” Levi snarled.

“So uhm, have you seen the specialist, I booked you in with yesterday?” Hanji asked cautiously, trying to give away as little private information as possible, missing the way Levi rolled his eyes at that.

“Yes I did see the OBGYN, you should have gotten her report already, she said she would be sending it over to you.” Eren answered, sounding a little annoyed by Dr. Zoe’s attitude towards Levi. “You know, you can just say whatever you like, Levi knows it already, anyway.” Eren smiled, glancing over to his alpha, missing the way Hanji’s jaw drops to the floor at that, but seeing Levi snicker in amusement.

“Hey doc, kids are not a gift from god, you know there is a certain procedure acquired to conceive them.” Levi deadpanned, before laughing out right.

“So, err…” the woman doesn’t know what to say.

“If you are asking, who’s responsible for this, we both are.” Levi goes on all serious- business matter.

“That certainly does change a few things.” Dr. Zoe says, flickering through some files at her desk.

“I don’t see what would need to change. But I know, that Eren is dying to go on the ice, and if you don’t mind, I approve of assigning him the yellow non contact jersey, for as long as he can.” Levi interrupts.

“But...” Hanji objects again, eyes wary, eyeing them both critically.

“There is no but in this!” Levi is pointing it out clear as day, glaring at the doctor. “If Eren wants to skate and his OBGYN says it’s okay, he will skate. End of discussion.” Levi shuts her down, feeling Eren rubbing his cheek over his shoulder, to keep the alpha calm.

“That’s not certainly, what I’m concerned about.” Hanji retaliates, sighing. “He should be past the danger zone of miscarriage, according to Dr. Ral’s papers, even though this is not such a certain period of time, as it is in female pregnancies.”

“What then?” Eren dares to ask, uncertainty tainting his voice.

“You know, that with how far along you are, this needs to be reported to management and my concern is more, that they won’t allow you to skate, given the circumstances.” Hanji waves her hands around warily. Eren’s face does a few things at that, including his hands coming up to cover his not yet showing belly, as if it would help the bad things from happening. The sadness and distress it sends him into is palpable for Levi and makes him glare at the doctor even harder.

“Well if this is your biggest concern, I’m going to take care of that, right the fuck now!” Levi grumbles, pressing a kiss to Eren’s temple, mumbling a few calming french words into his ear, before leaving the room. The silence left is uncomfortable and Hanji finds herself feeling sorry for causing distress to the omega.

“You know Eren, it’s not my fault, but those are the rules and I’m sure Levi will be working it out for you.”

“You… you really pissed him off with this.” he whispers, trying to keep his tears at bay. A part of him was still scared, that Levi would just run out on him, too angry to care.

“Well… that wasn’t my intention, but let him sort it out and we’ll go over the rest of the details in the meanwhile.” she offered, not being the best in comforting others. Eren nodded and relented himself to more needles and blood samples, mind wondering what Levi was up to.

 

Levi didn’t waste any time, after leaving the examination room. He rather wanted to be with Eren, who was feeling more than off obviously, but there were things to take care of - the directors. He would probably find himself facing half the Blackhawks organization’s front office, but he was so keyed up from Hanji’s little fool play, that he would take on everyone, who happened to get in his way. He was mad the matter even came up, Dr. Zoe was the team doctor, she should talk about health and stuff, not about team interests and rules. She shouldn’t upset his omega - period.

This was about Eren, HIS EREN and HIS baby, THEIR kid. Hell would freeze over, before he would let anything happen to them. He would take care of this right now.

Finding Nile’s office wasn’t a hardship, knocking therefore was. Everything in the alpha was demanding to walk in there, without bothering with pleasantries or about manners, but he knew, he had to hold it together, if he wanted to get anywhere. He could lose his shit soon enough, since he wasn’t expecting the GM to take it nicely, or to agree at all, given the latest encounter.

“Come on in!” the manager yelled, not even sounding anything close to relaxed, rather annoyed at being disturbed, but Levi just couldn’t give two fucks.

“Ackerman?” Nile wondered out aloud, getting to his feet, waiting for the alpha to shake his hand and take a seat. He could sense the anger vibrating under his opponents skin.

“Mr. Dawk.” Levi greeted coldly, not taking the invitation to sit. He noticed, that they were alone and a part of him was glad to be facing only one opponent, instead of the rest of them.

“What brings you to my office today? Is there a problem with practice?” Nile asked, already back in his chair, fumbling with one of the pens on his desk, a pure image of boredom, at least to Levi.

“I actually came here to talk about Yeager.” Levi said, leaning against the wall, opposite the manager’s desk.

“What’s there to talk about the omega?” Nile asked, managing to sound even more annoyed, as if he would be talking about a piece of gum stuck to his shoe, rather than one of his team’s players.

“Some circumstances arose, benching him for some time, but I came here to request, that he is allowed to keep playing yellow at practice in the meantime.” Levi tried to explain gently, thinking that maybe it would help to go easy, to get Dawk used to the bomb itself.

“Circumstances? Why does that sound like another one of the omega’s major fuck ups to me, Ackerman? And why do you ask me, isn’t that stuff the coaching staff handles usually? Seeing you stand here in my office, suggests otherwise. So what are we talking about exactly? Why is there no goddamn report from the team doctor on my desk then? Care to share?” Nile snarled. Levi can feel the challenge filling the air between them.

“There is no report, because I asked Dr. Zoe not to tell you yet, also time was needed to confirm the results, which only happened yesterday.”

“You asked the team doctor? Why? It’s not about you, it’s not concerning you, what the omega is up to. Or is there something I don’t know as well? Your latest interest is surprising, to say the least.”

“I don’t think my personal life is topic of this conversation right now, nor the reason why I asked, Nile. I asked, because I know how you are going to handle this. After last time, I don’t want to pick up my teammate in pieces once again, just because you couldn’t help yourself.” Levi argues.

“Watch your mouth Ackerman. I see it’s recently getting a bit big for your head. I’m not putting up with that attitude of yours.” the alpha snapped, receiving a growl from Levi as response. “So what the heck are you not telling me? You know, I don’t have time for this shit anyway.”

“Yeager is out of the roster, because he’s pregnant.” Levi tries to explain, but the moment the p-word makes it past his lips, the manager in front of him, is out of his seat, only merry inches away from Ackerman’s face, eyes blazing and head getting red with anger. The center can even see the vein in his manager’s forehead pulsing.

“Repeat this right the fuck now? I must have misheard!” Dawk yells.

“Eren Yeager is pregnant and you are not going to…” Levi stands his ground trying to get a word in.

“The fuck am I going to Ackerman! I’m not going to do what? Put him out of his own misery? He’s is a fucking disgrace to this team, it’s what it is! I can trade, who I want and why I want. You are not in any position to make demands captain! But, you know what? Why should I make the effort of pulling up paperwork, if he can simply leave! There is no need for practice, when all he will be doing, is sitting home and nursing kids! After all we did for him, this is his payback?” Nile starts laughing hysterically.

“You are not going to trade him, nor are you going to kick him out!” Levi points out, glaring daggers.

“The Fuck I give Ackerman! This is my team, you might be captain, but don’t overstep your boundaries! I can draw up papers for his leaving within the blink of an eye and you have three guesses what I am going to do now!” Nile spat, walking back to his desk.

“THIS IS A FUCKING HORSESHIT FUCKING CALL AND YOU KNOW IT! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO KICK HIM OUT! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO TRADE MY MATE! YOU WILL SHOW HIM THE RESPECT HE DESERVES! IF YOU KICK YEAGER OUT I WILL LEAVE AS WELL AND SO WILL A FEW OTHERS! WATCH THE LEFTOVERS OF YOUR FUCKING TEAM THAN YOU FUCKING MORON!” Levi exploded, not able to hold back his anger any longer. Nile Dawk stopped with his hand in midair, where he was about to open his desk drawer and glared daggers at the raven haired alpha.

“You really think you can threaten me like this Ackerman? You are really going to such a length for a worthless omega?”

“I DARE YOU TO CALL MY MATE WORTHLESS ONE MORE TIME DAWK!!!” Levi is 3 seconds short from flipping the desk over and against the wall, leaning heavy over the wood under his hands, knuckles turning white, from where he had grabbed the edge, glaring down at the man he should feel respect for. His vision turning red at the edges with how angry he is.

“I FUCKING DARE YOU! INSULT MY MATE OR MY KID AND THIS IS GOING TO BE THE FUCKING END OF YOU! YOU BETTER FUCKING GO AHEAD NOW!” Levi hisses deadly, having forgotten all his best manners and Canadian politeness. His scent flaring up even heavier.

Dawk gulped down the retort, he was ready to deliver, suddenly realizing, that he is facing a mated alpha, without knowing and having pissed on said alpha’s entire parade. Well this was not in his cards and he felt a little lost. Eyes wide, staring up at a seething Levi Ackerman. The captain was known for his temper, but ow fucking wow, this was taking stuff up a nodge for sure.

“Levi, listen…” Nile tried to backpedal.

“OH I’M ALL FUCKING EAR, FOR MORE OF YOUR FUCKING BULLSHIT!” Levi shouts.

“Okay, okay! I’m sorry.” Nile placated, even though he is not, not one bit. But a fight in his office would be bad publicity and Ackerman was indeed a bit frightening.

“THE FUCK YOU ARE! YOU ARE A FUCKING JOKE!” Levi yells, far from calming down. He is so deep in, that he misses the click of the door signaling Coach Smith walking in on them, laying a calming hand on the distressed alpha’s shoulder. It wasn’t hard to get the basics of the argument, Levi could be heard through half the rink, by the volume he was going at.

“Calm down son!” coach says, glaring at their manager in disappointment. “We will sort this out, you yelling doesn’t help to move things along Levi.” Smith mumbles through his scratchy beard. “Nile.”

“Erwin?!” the alpha replied, surprised but relieved, expecting support from his staff.

“I couldn’t help but overhear, what’s going on in here. Also I was just talking to our team doctor, about the situation at hand. It might be unfortunate, but I think it’s nothing, we haven’t been facing before. Not with you in the chair, but with others in your position and it always worked out.” Erwin said calmly, Pixis had caught him up on the regular proceedings before he had left. Erwin still had a solid, but comforting grip on Levi’s shoulder.

“I doubt that.” Nile growled, making Levi jerk forward, in an attempt to get a hold on him and break free from Smith’s restraining gesture.

“Levi! Easy! This is not going to help. You will only scare Eren more, if you don’t calm down.” Erwin said softly, locking gazes with his enraged captain, whose lips were pressed in a grim thin line, his teeth almost drawing blood from the flesh, from the tension he tries to hold in. Erwin is waiting for Levi to let go, at least a bit and it only takes a few moments, after the coach had mentioned Eren’s name, that regret replaces the anger in Levi’s eyes. All the fight going out of him in an instant, as a tortured sad growl leaves his chest.

“It will be okay, son. Can we talk like normal civilians now, or do I need some of your teammates in here, just in case?” the coach asked, ignoring the manager for the moment. Shame washes over Levi’s features, before his face returned to his usual blank collected facade. They shouldn’t need to involve more people, but Erwin turns to the door anyway, opening it to usher Kirschtein and Braun into the room. They don’t seem to be surprised, just composed and maybe eyeing their captain a little worried.

“Seriously? All this effort for some knocked up…” Nile couldn’t help but mutter, which in return made Levi lose his shit once more.

“SHUT YOUR GODDAMN FUCKING TRADITIONAL MOUTH! YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT MY MATE LIKE THAT! YOU PIECE OF..” Levi screams, barely registering Reiner and Jean taking a hold of his arms and using all their strength to pull him back from the desk.

“Levi! Jesus fuck calm down.” Reiner murmurs in comfort, while coach Smith is shaking his head at Nile Dawk, before taking the word once again.

“Nile, can we please leave those disgusting degrading terms off the table. Otherwise this is never going to work.” Erwin said voice thick with disappointment. He wasn’t all that modern himself, but he had respect and Eren Yeager was a human being -fuck dynamics for once. Therefore, he deserved respect. The manager huffed in annoyance not helping at all.

“Okay, so the deal is, Eren will be participating in practice with a yellow jersey, for as long as he likes and it’s healthy for him and everything after that is unknown as of now, but we won’t hinder his return, once he’s ready for it.” Erwin stated the facts calmly.

“I don’t see a reason why I should keep him on the roster and keep paying him for that matter.” Dawk objects.

“Because we have a rule that prohibits trades of bonded pairs or one bonded party, for no matter what reason. It’s set in stone by the NHL and you know it.” Smith answers easily, seeing Braun and Kirschtein nodding along in agreement, still not loosening their grip on their captain, who seems to be listening closely, even though his chest is still rising and falling way too fast, from the anger coursing through his system.

“They are not even mated for all I care. The rule doesn’t apply to them and no one can force me to… to pay for IT!” Dawk argues. Levi huffs.

“What is my personal life to you, Nile! It’s none of your business, whether we are bonded officially or not.” Levi hisses.

“Well, with all respect Mr. Dawk, bonds don’t need to be official, to be effective.” Reiner mutters, reminding the manager about him and Bertolt being in the closet as well, but their contracts benefiting from the rules nonetheless.

“What! And next week everybody will walk in my office saying they are bonded, just to keep me from trading anyone?” Dawk spats.

“That certainly is not the topic right now. No one is questioning your skills to manage a team in general Nile, we only want to remind you of the rules, that even you can not bend!” Jean says and underlines it with a pointed finger in the manager’s general direction.

“Rules that do not apply to that knocked up omega.” Nile huffs, not giving an inch, as he watches Levi glare at him. He struggles to get free, straining against the grip of his teammates, but eventually he is getting himself under control fast enough.

“THIS IS NOT JUST AN OMEGA! EREN IS MY MATE AND THIS IS MY KID AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE MY FAMILY AWAY FROM ME! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO FUCK ME FROM TWO SIDES NOW!” Levi yells, face still red with hatred.

Jean and Reiner both look surprised, but don’t comment on it, just realizing that this is about more, than they thought. They both look pissed at the manager.

“And how do I know you are not just telling me this, to get me to keep him?” Nile Dawk snorts.

“Nile, please. Just because Yeager doesn’t wear an official claiming mark, you are not given free reign permission to downgrade him. It’s Levi’s right to keep things private, if he wishes too. Anyway a kid is reason enough to approve his request.” Smith argues.

“A kid is not a reason at all.” Dawk snarls.

“So are you implying that all kids in this organization do not matter? Seriously? Nile you’ve got two yourself.” Erwin accuses, eyebrows drawn all the way up. The alpha could feel himself getting angry at the stubborn behavior of his boss.

“This is a different matter.”

“Why? Are you hinting, because you have a wife?” Erwin scoffs. The manager remains silent at that.

“I swear to god, if this team is lead by a homophobic asshole I will sign for a trade right this second.” Jean Kirschtein threatens. He feels disgusted beyond belief by the scene presented to him.

“I’m right with you!” Reiner growls.

“If someone will leave, it’s Yeager!” Nile spits.

“FUCK YOU! IF YOU MAKE EREN LEAVE, THAN YOU CAN GO LOOK FOR A NEW CAPTAIN TOO!” Levi shouts, twisting in the arms of his teammates. Everything within him is dreading to get his hands around the managers throat.

“As if I would let you go that easily.” Nile snaps.

“YOU DON’T FUCKING OWN ME DAWK! YOU KNOW WHAT? GO FUCK YOURSELF!”

“LEVI!” Reiner interrupts his blinded captain, tugging on his bicep painfully. You don’t know what you are saying.

“I fucking mean it!” Levi hisses, turning his blazing gaze on his alpha teammate.

“No one is leaving this team!” Erwin interrupts. “Not you Ackerman, nor will your mate!”

“Since when are you in the power to make such decisions Smith?” Dawk asks mockingly.

“Since you obviously lost your mind, Nile. Can’t you see what you are doing to this team?” Erwin asks.

“This is MY team. And I won’t tolerate this on MY TEAM!”

“You won’t be having a team left, if you don’t see sense.” the coach argues.

“I’m perfectly fine Erwin!” Nile snarls.

“No, you’re definitely not! You are so far stuck up your own ass, that it’s not even funny anymore.” Horseface growls.

“Who allowed you to talk to me like this KIRSCHTEIN!” Dawk yells.

“I don’t need your affirmation to be a human being. You know what, my family does believe in traditions and so does Levi’s, but all you are doing right now, is destroying the future of your team, by being disrespectful to someone's mate. If this is the way you think about omega’s, you should actually get out of this office and announce your retirement, because you’re a disgrace to the entire NHL. Your believes are homophobic, old school and straight from the middle ages. Instead of creating this entire unnecessary scene right here, you should be supporting your team’s captain. He might not have been asking to become a parent this early, he might not have claimed his omega yet, but even a blind man can see, how much he loves his mate. All Levi wanted was your approval, to keep his family close and all you’re giving him is shit for it. You should be fucking ashamed of yourself!” Jean spits.

“I can’t believe I’m working for someone this hurtful and blindsided.” Reiner murmurs, before adding his own two cents. “What would you have done, if we wouldn’t have intervened? Did you really think you could take on a bonded alpha in rage? Levi would have destroyed you by now, if it wasn’t for us! And he’s right, if you separate him from his family, or from Yeager, he won’t be the only one leaving! Neither me, nor Bertolt will spend one more day in this organisation! Indeed I would make sure to launch a complaint with the NHL, to actually get the leftovers of your team kicked right out!” Reiner says, voice powerful and content, making Dawk recoil at the threat.

“You won’t dare to!”

“Want to see me and the others give it a try?” Reiner fires back.

“But what about the media?” Dawk plays his last card.

“I’m sure we can deal with that, if the time calls for it. Levi would you talk to the PR people if needed?” the coach asks, trying to deescalate the situation.

“Of course I would!” Levi replies, voice clear.

“So the media won’t be a problem.” Smith deflects.

“My organization is supposed to take this entire shitstorm upon us? Are you seriously asking me for this?” Dawk grunts.

“There’s no shitstorm, if you don’t create one.” Jean retorts, which earns him a glare.

“Jean is right, he already had a kid and Chicago was enlightened by it.” Reiner speaks up.

“I can’t believe you are forcing me to do this.” Nile growls.

“We are just asking you to be a reasonable person, Nile. Punishing Levi or Eren for that matter, won’t give you any advantage.” Erwin makes it clear, keeping his eyes on the manager.

“I will need to talk to the rest of the front office about this.” Dawk hisses, trying to buy time, feeling sure he will receive their backup on this.

“Your phone is right in front of you, so you can do it now.” Smith smiles, knowing, that they have already won, since the rest of the front office was already informed - and well, they were not happy about it, but they were not as horrible as Nile either. Levi and Eren might have chosen bad timing, but everybody knew, that a bonded pair played harder and better on the ice and that kids would help solidify the bond itself.

Jean and Reiner loosen their grip on the captain, while Nile makes his needed calls, looking more defeated by the second and every answer he receives.

“It’s going to be okay, Levi.” Jean reassures him, his hand lingering on the small of Levi’s back, ready to grab a handful of his captain’s shirt, in case he would explode and try to launch for Nile Dawk once more.

“Well, okay for now.” Nile grunts not amused, after he’d hung up.

“So Eren Yeager will stay here and he will practice as approved by the doctors. He will remain a full member of this team.” Erwin says, wanting to hear the clarification once again.

“Yes, he will. Now you all get the fuck out of my office.” Nile replies, watching them glare at him one more time, before leaving. Reiner leading Levi out, chatting softly to him in French, keeping him distracted. He looks still a little wild around the edges.

“Hey Levi, what about we go see Dr. Zoe and your smol titan?” Jean asks, already tugging the center along, in the direction of the examination rooms.

“Can you just wait for a sec.” Levi murmurs, turning back towards Erwin Smith, who is about to turn and walk into the opposite direction.

“Coach?” Levi’s voice cracks a bit, as Erwin turns around to face him.

“Yeah Ackerman?”

“Thank you! Thank you for all you did today, everyday.” Levi says, for the first time feeling grateful, that his coach had been there to keep him from committing a crime.

“No big deal, son.” Erwin mumbles.  “And Congratulations, now go look after your mate.” he smiles walking away.

Jean and Reiner pat Levi on the shoulder as well.

“Yeah congrats Daddy Ackerman.” they both say in unison, making Levi  blush.

“There’s still time.” Levi mumbles, as they walk over to Hanji’s office.

“You can tell me about this, if you wake up at 3 a.m. to a crying infant.” Horseface laughs, knocking on the doctor’s door.

Eren is sensing Levi’s exhaustion from 5 feet away and gets up to hug his alpha, rubbing his cheek in the curve of his throat.

“Eren.” Levi murmurs, hugging his mate close.

“Hey doc, can you check on Ackerman here for a second. He might need some valerian.” Jean says, before leaving the couple to themselves and the room. Hanji nods at them, before mentioning for Eren and Levi to sit down.

“How are you feeling Levi?”

“Tired.” the raven says, he really just wants to take Eren home and crawl into bed with him. Today had been more than just a fight, today felt like war to him. There was no way he could skate an entire practice, after this entire shitshow.

“Understandable. I would say you could both do with resting up after today. There was a lot going on, taking a toll on both of you.” Dr. Zoe says gently. She runs Levi through a few simple tests, to make sure he’s okay to drive a car, before dismissing them both from her office and excusing Levi from morning practice.

“What about practice?” Eren asks, as they are walking out to the parking lot and approach Levi’s car. He sounds anxious.

“It’s all dealt with and okay. We can both come tomorrow and you can keep skating in yellow, as the doctor agreed to, mon cher.” Levi yawns, feeling beat down for now.

Eren is not mad, that they are missing out of it today. He can see and feel how much Levi needs rest and he hasn’t been feeling all too well himself. So going home is really the best option of the day. They have lunch at a small hole in the wall, hidden from curious gazes, before making their way over to Trost tower. They spent most of the morning and early afternoon at the facility, since morning skate never starts before 10-11a.m. anyway and by the time, they left Dr. Zoe’s office, practice had already finished.


	18. Emergency

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strong advice for tissues needed.  
> Also I tried to research a lot about 911 calls in general and the OEMC Chicago but take the rest with a grain of salt and lots of free authors will.

They picked up Eren's prescription on the way home. When back at their apartment building, the question, where they would spent the night, did not even come up. Levi followed Eren to his place without arguing, since it seemed the most likely option. All his medication and stuff was there and Levi realized, he hadn’t spent much time at his own condo for some days already, even though he had the bigger place. So when Eren starts picking up some stuff, Levi is caught by surprise, that the little brunette is throwing his toiletries in a duffel and asked, if Levi would be okay, if they moved over to his condo.

“I know you miss your home, don’t even front.” Eren smiled.

“Not really, I’m totally fine staying over, if you want me to.” Levi hedges. The omega gave him a thoughtful look. It’s clear as day, that they both know Levi has the bigger condo and it’s not like they would need to walk very far, just ride the elevator up some floors.

“I don’t want to keep you from your own bed.” the right winger sighed, scratching his neck anxiously.

“And I just want you safe and comfortable, in which bed we end up in the process is up to you. I just thought, you would feel better at your own home.” Levi smirked.

“My home is, wherever you are.” Eren mumbled shyly, gaze drifting out of his bedroom window, to avoid  eye contact with Levi a little.

“Oh smol titan!” Levi can feel himself tearing up a bit, as he hugs his omega close.

“You’re such a sap, mon cher.” Levi murmured fontly.

“So can we crash at yours? I want to know, who got the better mattress.” Eren laughs, inhaling the thick maple scent of his alpha. From where he is pressed against him, he can feel the laugh rumble through Levi’s chest.

“Of course we can. As long as we get into a bed sometime soon. I need a nap.” Levi yawned at that, to underline how tired he actually was. They grabbed a few essentials, including Eren’s prescriptions, before heading up to Ackerman’s own condo.

Only then, did Levi realize, that Eren had never been to his place before. They shared hotel rooms and Erens condo, but Levi had always gone home alone.

The assumption of him having the bigger place, must have  been a happy guess. Well it wasn’t that much of a problem, so asking Eren about it seemed pointless. The right winger was too busy gazing at the apartment in front of him anyway.

“Damn! This is even bigger than I expected. You got so much more room!” Eren marveled, heading towards Levi’s living room in awe. Levi couldn’t help himself but smile. He was like a kid in a candy shop all bright eyes, dimpled cheeks and big smile. He loved to see his omega truly happy.

“Dude! You haven’t told me, that you own the same fucking couch!” Eren exclaimed, sprawling out over it, all soft limbs and comfortable, content. Levi can not help himself, but laugh at that.

“I told you, your couch is great so many times Yeager. Why should I lie to you, if I don’t know it first hand?” Levi smiled and yawned wide.

“Oh. Urgh you’re tired.” Eren yawns as well. “So what about your master bedroom then?” Eren flirts, dark long lashes blinking slowly up at Levi, a smirk tugging at the corner of his plush lips.

“You are so not subtle at all, mon cher.” Levi laughed, grabbing hold of the omega’s hand and tugging him up and off the couch.

“I’m plenty subtle, Romeo.” Eren cackled, squeezing Levi’s hand gently, as he is lead of to his captain’s bedroom.

“So this is where the magic happens? Kinky!” Eren joked, half jumping on the big king size, with silk sheets, that made him shiver, as they touched his skin.

“This is where the magic happens.” Levi deadpans, yawning some more, as he closes the door and the blinds to keep the bright afternoon sun out, turning the room into twilight darkness.

Eren smiled, sitting up to get rid of his clothes and snuggle up under the duvet to Levi’s warm body, a welcoming contrast to the coldness of the sinful bed sheets around them.

“C’me here.” Levi murmured, feeling the mattress move, as Eren rolled over and rest his head on his alpha’s wide chest, feeling the warmth seep out from Levi’s shirt.

“Hmm.” Eren murmured, breathing in the maple scent deeply, feeling almost all his muscles relax, there still is some uncomfortable tugging low down his back, but his alpha’s scent glosses over the uncomfortable feeling. Listening to the steady heartbeat under his ear, is dragging him into slumber. Levi just grunts softly, proud that he could make his omega content and happy, basking in the feeling how Eren’s body molds into him. Them both fitting together like two long missed puzzle pieces, finally slotting into their respective place.

It doesn’t take them long to fall asleep like that, Levi’s arms wrapped safely around the brunette right winger, feeling Eren’s breath even out to a soft breeze over his naked chest, because fuck shirts anyway! It’s enough for him to ease up enough, to go to sleep himself.

Eren wakes up feeling disturbed, at first he is not sure what dragged him out of the content darkness, quickly taking stock of his body. The pain in his back had come back with a bit more force than before, just bordering on that little edge, between something to worry about and just plain uncomfortable. Maybe the baby was trying to make room for itself. It wasn’t that big to actually already need this, but Dr. Ral had talked so much about loosening joints and stretching skin, his body changing to help his baby grow, that Eren wasn’t questioning the uncomfortable feeling plaguing him. 

Of course then he noticed, that it had been his cell phone vibrating with an incoming call. Eren didn’t want to get up and he didn’t want to wake Levi, who was still sleeping, but maybe it was something important he shouldn’t miss? Like the management deciding to go against better judgement and over Levi’s head, because of course they could. Or even worse, his agent calling to let him know, he was being traded after all.

Not very happy, he wriggles out of Levi’s hold, missing his warmth immediately, picked the phone up from his pants pocket and answered quietly, tiptoeing out of the room and down to Levi’s living room.

“Finally! Eren I was afraid something happened to you! WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG!” Faye exploded, the second the dial tone stopped.

“Sorry Faye.” the omega murmured, trying to get comfortable on Levi’s couch, despite the tugging in his back.

“So what’s keeping you away from the phone? Also you sound tired.” his sister went on.

“I’m tired, Faye. DUH! Guess what, I’ve been asleep before your call came through.” Eren yawned, rubbing his eyes, he sounded more pissed, than he actually felt, but yeah Faye could deal with it.

“Oh! Sorry Eren boo. So did you sleep alone?”

“What kind of question even is this? No I was not alone.” he confessed, listening to his sister giggle on the other end of the line.

“So who’s with you Eren? Tell me everything!”

“I’m at Levi’s place. The rest is none of your shitty business. But why is this even important? You probably didn’t call to ask me about him.” Eren grumped, feeling cold out alone in the living room.

“Urgh no, you got me. Sorry for waking you up. It wasn’t my intention to piss on your love parade.” Faye mocks him gently.

“Love parade? Faye what the...”

“Ah, no, no don’t swear in front of the baby Eren boo.”

“Faye! I really love you but please don’t!” Eren whined. Alpha or not, his sister shouldn’t talk about HIS baby like that. His sister shouldn’t do a full catalogue of stuff, but well, this was Faye and she always did, what she wanted.

“EREN!” she exclaimed, before sighing down the line. Something about the noise was making him squirm on the couch, it felt uncomfortable all of a sudden, as if something bad was coming up next.

“How is the shithead doing? You know, Zeke.” Eren asked instead, trying to break the sudden tension. He really didn’t feel like talking about, whatever was keeping his sister's mind busy.

“He’s fine bro, don’t worry. Zeke is so excited about it, I guess he doesn’t get yet, what’s really happening, you popping a baby soon enough, but he  suddenly wants to play a lot more house with me.” Faye chuckled.

“Well, sounds fair so far.” Eren murmured, a hand stroking comfortably across his soon to be bump. The skin was already feeling stretched and tender to the touch.

“Well, but you know this is not going to fly for long.” Faye mumbled hesitantly. She sounded rather stressed about the statement itself and it was confusing him.

“I’m not sure, if I get what you are going at with this, Faye.” Eren dodged, his hand wandering to his back, trying to rub the ache out a bit, making him hiss a little. That really started to hurt like a lot. Maybe he was making things worse and should keep his hands away from it?

“You sure, you’re okay?” She checked, instead, before dropping the big bombs.

“Just a bit hurting, nothing too bad. My back is aching a little, probably because I was sleeping in a weird position. So what about my brother’s games not flying for long?” Eren deflects.

“What I was trying to say Eren is, it won’t take too long for mom or dad to catch onto it.” Faye gritted out. She really didn’t want to make him worry, but they had to talk about it at some point. And that specific point, could be now of all things, waiting any longer wouldn’t help ease the situation. Maybe this was Eren’s chance to come back home, not literally though. But it was definitely time to talk about those baby’s grandparents.

“So what?” Eren snaps, sadness washing over him, making tears prick at the corner of his eyes. Faye had just ruined the rest of his day, by bringing up his whatever they were! The Zacharias were more of a family to him by now, than his own parents had ever been.

“Don’t you like… haven’t you thought about telling them? I mean, I guess mom would be happy about it. You know, maybe you could come back?” Faye tries gently.

“Coming back?” Eren sniffled a little, a sarcastic laugh clawing at his throat, begging to be freed. “You really think Grisha would like... welcome me back in, when I went and did exactly, what he predicted would happen? Don’t you think, I heard him say all these… these fucking things about me, before mom drove me up to Detroit? Maybe, I didn’t fully understand, what he had been saying, but now I’m old enough to get it.” he huffs. “I’m not stupid nor deaf, Faye!”

“But, Eren! I know, dad wasn’t on his best behaviour, we all are aware of it. But time has passed, since then. It’s been so long already and you have come so far, since then. Don’t you want to try at least? I’m sure it is a chance at least and I don’t want to keep sneaking out of the house, just to come visit you and your kid. I want to…” Faye tried to make a point, before getting shut down by her brother.

“I know you just want to be a great auntie. I get that, and I’m sure you’ll be the best aunt to my kid, but I can’t see that chance you are drawing up. Why should I try? To be reminded once again, how my dynamic was reason enough to fuck up the family's pride? That it was enough, to shove me at some strangers, who willingly took me in and treated me like my parents should have all along, just so they wouldn’t have to deal with me tainting their perfect social status? To get reminded about, what exactly Grisha thinks an omega is and where his place is? You know, there are enough assholes like that in the NHL, telling me this every other day. I don’t really need a reminder about it! It’s not like I would ever forget about it!” Eren sobbed, now utterly upset and crying, fiercely rubbing at his eyes. He just wanted to curl up and purr, anything to make himself feel better. He should have never left Levi’s bed. He should have ignored the call, instead of sitting alone in Levi’s living room, arguing with his sister, that he usually loved dearly. But at the moment he wasn’t even sure about that, with Faye trying to drag him back into the mess he escaped.

“No Eren, that wasn’t…” Faye tried to track back.

“Wasn’t your intention? Yeah I bet it wasn’t, but it doesn’t change the facts! The fact, Faye, that my family never even tried to win me back! I was not even allowed to visit you and Zeke, or even Grandpa. You have no idea how often I was pleading, to go back home to see you, even if it would just have been for 1h tops, or hell even 5 fucking minutes! So why should I return begging at their feet, if they never loved me in the first place, Faye?” Eren cried, dropping the phone onto the carpet at his feet, to curl up instead. He didn’t want to talk to his sister any longer.

Eren and Faye’s fight over the phone, had been loud enough to draw Levi out of sleep and at first he’d tried not to listen in, it wasn’t his place after all. But he couldn’t help, but sense the way Eren got more distressed as the minutes passed and when the phone dropped, clattering onto the floor, he was up and out of bed, faster than lightning, rushing over to his living room, to find a crying, curled up omega.

“Oh Eren!” Levi murmured, easing his way onto the couch and hugging him closer to his chest, trying to comfort his distressed right winger, hands wandering aimlessly, over his shaking back and carding through the thick strands of hair, at the nape of Eren’s neck.

“Levi.” Eren sobbed, crawling closer to his captain, face pressed tightly into Levi’s wide chest and fingers fisting in the fabric of his shirt.

“Shh, mon cher. It’s going to be okay. I promise.” Levi soothes, still aware of a frantic Faye, calling out for her brother, on the other end of the line of the discarded phone. Levi picks it up from the carpet, still holding onto Eren securely, as he answers the device for him.

“Faye?” Levi asked.

“What? Who is this, where’s Eren? Is Eren okay? Did something happen? I didn’t mean to...”

“Faye! It’s Levi, Levi Ackerman and Eren will be okay eventually, but I think he’s not really up to keep up with the conversation right now. He’ll call back sometime later, okay?” Faye was stunned for a moment, nothing else but steady breathing coming through the line. Levi’s voice was firm, but calm, every ounce of protective alpha steel evident in his simple request.

“O… okay Levi. Take care of my brother and please just tell him to think about it. I really didn’t mean to upset him so much. I was just trying to help.”

“Okay, will do. Goodbye, Faye.”

“Bye.” she mumbled, sounding teared up as well, but Levi hung upon her regardless, Eren was his priority right now.

Eren would be his first priority, always.

Levi cuddles him closer, supporting most of the omega’s weight on his lap by now, but he didn’t complain. Eren was softly purring into his neck, having dropped out of reach and Levi knew, he had to pull him out of the funk, before stuff went way too far. He didn’t really fancy a break down episode like the last time, when he had come to Eren’s condo for the very first time, to find him freaking out on the floor of his bedroom, clutching one of Levi’s old UND shirts closely - he still doesn’t remember how Eren even got it, but never mind. Eren could have everything to keep him happy, Levi wouldn’t even mind selling his soul to the Hockey gods, if Yeager asked him to.

“Hi Eren, mon cher. It’s okay now. I hung up the phone. You don’t have to talk to Faye anymore.” Eren sniffled, pressing closer to Levi, listening to him murmur in French, close to his ear. It was good to know, that Levi didn’t stop touching him. That Levi still wanted him. It took a lot of soothing, before he could stop crying and even more, before he stopped clinging to every inch of Levi’s body, but his alpha was patient and ever so perfect, prying Eren from the grip of his own distress.

It broke Ackerman’s heart to see his omega like that and not for the first time, Levi was running through options of possible therapy, but in the end he wouldn’t push or bring it up. It was Eren’s decision to make. He needed to be ready and willing to let a professional help him. He would go every step with him, support him, of course he would, but therefore Eren needed to acknowledge, that he had a problem in the first place, and one he needed a guiding hand to deal with at that. So far it didn’t seem like self soothing purring was on that list for Eren, when for Levi it was a clear sign of something deeply gone wrong. They would go down that road when possible, but not now. Levi was sure he could teach Eren to purr when he wanted, to let the sound rumble up in his chest, when he wanted it to be heard.

Now Levi only wanted him to calm down. All the stress wouldn’t do him and the baby any good. He didn’t need to be a doctor to know that.

“Levi.” Eren groaned after a while, feeling more in pain, than he did before dropping out of reality for a moment and closing in on himself. He did feel embarrassed about Levi witnessing his purring again, but on the other hand, he had other things to worry about for now, like the twinge in his lower back.

“What’s wrong Eren? What do you need, mon cher?” Levi asked worried.

“I don’t know. I just… I don’t know… FUCK!” Eren complained, pressing his face back into Levi’s neck, fingers tightening around the front of his alpha’s shirt reflexively, sending Levi’s senses into overdrive in response to Eren’s behaviour.

“Are you in any pain Eren?” Levi asked, more frenetic now, picking up his entire weight, as he pushed them off of the couch, to carry Eren back to his bedroom to get him more comfortable. Eren just grumbled into his neck, he didn’t want to worry his alpha. It made Levi’s scent flare with a tinge of citron and he didn’t like that. It reminded him of that one time he bumped into Reiner and Bertolt during training camp. But damn, it did hurt pretty bad, worse than before.

Levi lowered him down on the soft mattress gently, hand wiping the tousled hair out of Eren’s face. He felt a little warm to the touch, not burning hot, as if he would be running a fever, but still a little unusual after all. He softly thumbed away the few stray tears, that were still lingering, waiting for Eren to respond.

“Smol titan, you need to talk to me. Let me make it better mon cher.” Levi  cooed.

“It’s not so bad.” Eren lied, not really managing to look Levi in the eye. Shouldn’t he be better than that? Know better than that? He really sucked at being a good omega, lying to his alpha about something so essential.

“Don’t! Don’t pretend for me.” Levi tutted, his thumb skimming over Eren’s cheek, wiping away the leftover tear tracks.

“It’s just… it’s really not that bad.” Eren tried to convince Levi and himself too.

“So what is it?” Levi pressed.

“Just my back aching a bit. Maybe I slept in the wrong position.” Eren muttered, turning his face into the pillow to close his eyes.

“Should I ring Dr. Ral, just to make sure?” Levi suggested.

“No! It will pass. She said so much about the baby making room for itself and shit. It will be okay. You know it’s your overachieving baby, of course it would start with making trouble earlier than everybody else. Hell, as soon as it’ll exit the womb it’ll probably lying in the hospital’s new arrivals ward, staring down other newborns and mapping out a plan to be the first baby to go home.” Eren snapped, as another cramp tortured his lower back. He knew, he was being a dick to Levi, but thankfully the alpha didn’t seem to care. He just huffed a laugh at Eren’s antics and bad chirping. He loved the baby already, that much was clear as day.

“Will you always get so snappy with me, when you are in pain?” Levi asked amused, mind going through the scenario that awaited him, when Eren would give birth to their beautiful kid, fingers still lingering in his omega’s soft hair. He could already imagine the death threats coming out of his mouth.

“I’m sorry.” Eren mumbled, mouthing at the pillowcase, eyes down.

“It’s okay, mon cher. Just tell me if it gets worse, so we can do something about it. I just want to help you.”

“Maybe you warming me up a bit would help. It’s cold.” the younger whined. Levi frowned at that, Eren feeling cold, when he was way too warm to the touch, was concerning to say the least.

“Anything else? You want some water or anything?” he asked.

“Water sounds good, tea would too. I don’t care either way.” Eren groaned, eyes only on half mast.

“Okay. I will be back in a few minutes, my grumpy princess.” Levi mused, leaving Eren to walk over to the kitchen and put the kettle on. He got the biggest mug, he could find, out of the cabinet and filled it with two tablespoons of honey and the ginger tea his mom had left him, for when he was feeling sick. Having researched, that it was supposed to help with morning sickness too, even though Eren thankfully hadn’t thrown up until now. He poured the water into the mug and carried it back to the bedroom, setting it on the nightstand next to Eren’s side of the bed, to let it rest for a while, before snuggling back under the covers to his mate.

“Let it steam for a few minutes, don’t want you to burn your mouth.” Levi murmured, scooting closer to Eren, spooning him, hand coming to rest on his belly, the other supporting Eren’s neck, fingers back to scratching at his scalp. Eren made a sound in the back of his throat, sounding pleased, that Levi was looking out for him so generously, body pressing closer to his alpha, basking in his maple scent.

“It’s better when you’re here.” Eren slurred, sounding tired. Levi could only guess, how tired he must be feeling, after the exhausting fight with Faye and the commotion at the rink, earlier that morning. His impression of Eren’s sister wasn’t the best so far and Levi couldn’t help but despise her for the moment. All he knew, was that she had upset his omega. Nobody should ever upset his boy.

Eren was HIS and he was carrying HIS kid. That clarified him as a god, or something equally impressive - at least to Levi.

“Better.” Eren mumbled, blearily reaching for the mug on the nightstand.

“Let me get it for you.” Levi soothed, sitting up to get Eren the pot of tea, watching him sip at it slowly. He grimaced at the taste at first, stirring the spoon, before trying again, face smoothing out into a pleased expression. Levi smiled.

“It’s not too bad.” Eren amended.

“My maman told me, it should help with your morning sickness and it always helps me feel better when I’m sick.” Levi explained.

“Your mum is a very… urgh sorry… wise women.” Eren gasped, as the pain in his lower back was hitting him out of nowhere again.

“Eren, do you really don’t want to call Dr. Ral?” Levi urged, feeling the distress Eren was in clearly by the scent that the omega was giving of.

“It’s nothing really. It comes and goes.” Eren played it down, setting the cup back on the nightstand, after he had drained half of it and snuggling back up to Levi.

“Hmm.” Levi sounded thoughtful, he really was on the edge of manhandling Eren to the doctor’s office, but that would cross a line or two certainly. On the other hand, he trusted Eren’s judgement of his own body. He would sure urge Levi to take action, if it got too bad or was bothering him to an unbearable amount. Also Eren’s muscles seemed to relax, when he was lying down, snuggled up against his alpha, as if Levi’s presence was enough to make him forget about the discomfort his back pushed him through.

“We can just stay like this? Watch a movie or something?” Eren asked, voice hopeful, he clearly wanted to distract himself, without boring Levi to death for lying in bed all day.

“Of course we can. We could even cheat and order dinner.” Levi murmured, fetching the remote from his own nightstand to turn the TV and DVR on. Screw the diet for once, everything that would make Eren feel better, he would do. They had slept through their usual afternoon snack time, so it was really about time to play catch up with the food pyramid. They were big grown up hockey players after all.

It took a little persuading from Levi’s side, but they settled on something eventually, found an action movie they both enjoyed and had  late dinner like every other ordinary couple. Eren seemed more at ease, after having eaten and didn’t twitch as much as before next to his alpha. A part of Levi was praying, that the mysterious pain had just disappeared the same way it had come and really wasn’t anything to be bothered by, as he watched Eren fall asleep two quarters into their movie. He made little snuffling huffing noises in the back of Levi’s neck, one hand resting next to his slack relaxed face, the other cradling his stomach. He looked every ounce of innocent, that it made Levi’s heart falter. He turned off the TV, as the credits started rolling, left for a bathroom break to get ready for bed shortly, before glancing at the clock portraying red numbers, that read 9 p.m. and deciding to go to sleep himself.

He didn’t sleep for too long though, Levi woke up at 3 a.m. in the morning to Eren shifting next to him. At first he blearily didn’t think any of it. Maybe Eren had repositioned himself in his sleep and the movement had woken him up, though Levi closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep, just to have his senses kick in hard, as he heard Eren gasp and groan into the pillow, sound muffled by the fabric.

“Eren?” Levi asked concerned, feeling for the lamp on his nightstand to dimly lit the room, enough that he could see, but not enough that he would feel like someone was trying to scratch his eyes out. Eren just shifted back and forth on his side and whimpered again. At first Levi thought, that he might be having a nightmare, so waking him up seemed cruel but necessary.

“Erenn, 

mon cher. It’s okay, wake up.” Levi murmured, rolling closer to him, before stopping with his hand in mid air, arm hovering awkwardly outstretched over Eren’s curled up figure. He had his arms crossed firmly over his middle, but that wasn’t, what made Levi stop. It was the dampness of the sheets, beneath the fingertips of his other hand, skimming over the few inches of separating fabric, that woke him up with a start.

“Eren? EREN!” Levi tried again, leaning over closer.

“Levi.” Eren murmured, eyes squeezed shut, hands balled to fists, where he kept hugging himself. He sounded out of breath and teary and that didn’t help to calm his alpha down. Eren was clearly in pain and it pained Levi to watch. He was running on instinct, rather than rational thought, as he pulled the duvet away, to reveal more of Eren’s curled up body. The light reflecting on the sheets underneath his omega in signal red, making his worst nightmares come true. Something was more than just wrong, something was terribly wrong, because there was only one thing that could leave your body in a pool of red and that was blood. Blood that shouldn’t surround Eren’s lower body at all - but it did! 

Levi Ackerman was out of bed and on the phone within seconds, punching in the universal number for emergencies. He couldn’t waste any time with driving Eren to the hospital himself, even though every instinct in him screamed to do just that, pick him up and deliver him to the best care possible, and he didn’t even spare a thought, that an arriving ambulance might make the news. All he was aware of was limited down to his pregnant omega being in pain and bleeding.

Fucking blood all over the sheets. The look of it send him almost into insanity. But he had to keep it together.

HE HAD TO!

If not for himself than at least for Eren, who really needed him.

“911, what’s your emergency?” the dispatcher's voice came through the line and it took all of Levi’s nerves, to not explode in a hysterical ball of yelling at the women answering his call on the other end. Eren needed him to stay calm and composed, to handle this. EREN needed him. PERIOD!

“My mate, he’s pregnant and he’s bleeding and in pain. I guess he’s having cramps. And he hadn’t been feeling well all day, but it’s really bad now. There’s just so much blood. He needs help.” Levi rattled of, feeling terrified himself.

“Okay. Stay calm. What’s your address and name sir, so we can get the ambulance on the way?”

“It’s Ackerman, we’re at Trost Tower, 104 N Wabash Ave, 35th floor, Apartment K353. I guess, it’s at the end of the hall, on the right from the elevator.” Levi tried to explain, while kneeling down next to Eren’s side of the king size bed, trying to soothe him. He wasn’t even sure, if he gave the correct number of his apartment, but the doorman would sure lead the way, as soon as the ambulance arrived. He couldn’t bother to hang up and warn the front desk.

“Okay we got this sorted Mr. Ackerman. They are on their way. Help is coming.” If the dispatcher knew, who she was really talking to, she didn’t let on, staying professional all throughout. “How far along is your mate and how old is he?”

“He’s 19 years old. I think it must be 15 weeks or so, I don’t know, the OBGYN told him he was starting his second trimester. We just found out a couple days ago. It’s just, can you get someone here please, it’s really bad. I think, he’s running a fever too, he hasn’t responded to me yet.” Levi murmured, fear taking over the worry he felt.

He was holding Eren’s hand trying to offer comfort, while listening to the dispatcher's questions and trying to answer them as best as he could. It left him feeling stupid and useless, with how little he knew, but then it was all new to him too. They’d just been settling in themselves to the fact of their expanding family. And now it all seemed on the verge of being taken away from them again, something so beautiful, before it even had started. His eyes swept from Eren’s face back to the drenched sheets, trying to make out, if there was more blood oozing out, but the color was so sickening, he couldn’t really tell, if Eren was still bleeding or just in pain.

“It’s going to be okay, mon cher. They are getting here.” Levi murmured, seeing Eren open his eyes for a second to look at him, the crystal teal seas filled with tears and pain and most of all defeat. He could smell Eren’s upset scent like a crisp winter storm surrounding them. He could feel his omega squeezing his hand back, but that’s all he did, before curling up again and groaning pitifully, but not letting go of Levi’s hand. The passing minutes felt like an eternity to him. When would they finally be getting here? He wanted to curse Chicago traffic and every car, that might be blocking the ambulance’s way. If it would help the paramedics getting to Eren faster.

“I need you to get the door open for the arriving  EMTs, they should be with you shortly Mr. Ackerman. They are maybe 2 minutes away if at all. Is there anything else happening or changing about your omega, as of right now?” the friendly woman on the other end of the phone asked.

“He’s still in pain, as far as I can tell and he’s still curled up. I haven’t moved him. He looked at me earlier, but only for a few seconds. I’m not even sure he fully registers my presence.” Levi tried to explain, his own tears threatening to spill, as he had to leave Eren to open the apartment door, for the paramedics.

He saw them rushing down the hallway towards him, from the elevator with a gurney in tow and relief flooded his system, in the eye of help finally arriving.

“They are here now. Thank you.” he told the dispatcher, who was still on the line with him, before they ended the call and Levi lead the way to his bedroom.

Eren was shaking, his face looked more ashen in the unrelenting harsh overhead lights, one of the EMTs had clicked on.

They attended to Eren immediately, checking his vitals and getting him to talk, but he wasn’t really answering, just pleading with Levi silently through his eyes, tears still running down his cheeks. Levi tried to answer their questions as best as possible, he was grabbing a few of their things, showing the EMTs eren’s prescriptions and trying to soothe his omega and himself, all at the same time. He just wanted them to get Eren to the fucking hospital as fast as possible.

It was agony to watch them strap Eren onto the stretcher, but at the same time, they were doing their job and if moving him meant, they were finally getting on their way to the hospital, so be it.

Levi could deal with that. Eren had to, he didn’t seem too happy about it, but he was way too busy still doubling over and broadcasting fear all over the room. Levi’s own nerves were frail at best. The thought of following the ambulance to the hospital without knowing, if Eren would hold it together on his own, was enough to make himself feel queasy.

The EMT lifting the gurney, to get Eren out of the door, glanced at Levi, who looked a little wild around the edges. He couldn’t even remember, where he had put his car keys, nor was he all too sure, if he would be able to actually steer a car as of right now.

“You could ride up front with us, if this helps? He’s your mate after all. You can’t ride in the back, because of his condition and we need all the room, but I can offer you as much.” the EMT said, voice calm and clinical. Levi nodded, unable to answer, somehow his throat was closing in on him, from all the feelings rushing through him. There was all the worries about Eren and his kid, sadness at the situation - he felt helpless. He wished his mother would be in town.

Levi never backed down from a challenge, but in the face of the most horrible awaiting news of his life, he wished his parents would be there to hold his hand through it, so he could be the rock to Eren’s rocking sea. Eren, who had no family for back up, except for his billets and maybe Faye obviously. Levi dizzily followed them down the corridor and down to the waiting vehicle, thinking about nothing, but all at the same time. He didn’t notice a pair of flashlights going off, or otherwise he would have been warned, but it was clear that Levi was suffering slight symptoms of shock as well. The few miles to the nearest emergency room stretched time even longer. Agony to not know what was happening to Eren in the back of the ambulance and terror of what was likely to come combined, raised Levi’s stress levels higher than any final Stanley Cup playoff game ever could.

Eren was rushed into a private room, straight away and the medical personnel was buzzing around him. Levi could only sit close by, holding Eren’s hand, who was purring under his breath, probably his only defense left to cope with the situation. Luckily no one commented on it. He kept his eyes closed, as the doctors fussed around him.

There were blood samples taken, ultrasounds and other tests, They didn’t let Levi look at the monitor, just kept throwing around complicated medical terms.

It seemed to be hours, at least to the alpha, until they moved him up to the maternity ward for further monitoring.

At 6 a.m. in the morning Dr. Ral came rushing in, hair wild and looking sleep deprived, her white coat askew, as if thrown on in a haste. Levi had given her contact information to the doctors attending to Eren, hoping it would help to get answers to all the questions Levi couldn’t answer himself. Ackerman was half asleep in his chair, but went to fully awake upon seeing her. Eren had fallen asleep, after the nurses had hooked him up with a sedative an hour earlier. He was as patched up as they could get him, laying on a pad, that kept him from leaking all over the place, even though the blood flow had tampered down. Levi was hoping she would explain to him, what was happening around them and specially to Eren and his kid. She introduced herself shortly, still fiddling with the papers in her hand, scanning them over hurriedly.

“I’m Levi Ackerman, Eren’s mate.” He murmured in greeting at the same time his cell phone started vibrating furiously against his thigh, trapped in the pocket of his pants. Levi chose to ignore it, for the time being. Informations about Eren were way more important.

“Hello Mr. Ackerman, nice to see you. Is there any chance of talking to Eren?”

“They sedated him, he only fell asleep an hour ago or so.” Levi apologised.

“Ah, I see. Sorry. Well as you are his mate this will do. I’m just surprised.” She said gently, subtly implying she hadn’t noticed a claiming mark on the omega, nor had Levi been with him, when Eren had been in her office.

“I can’t prove it. You have every reason to be suspicious, but I have no reason to lie to you. I’m just worried and scared about Eren and our baby.” he answered putting all his honesty into the statement, as he was able to come up with, in the situation at hand. She nodded in understanding.

“Well, there is some good and some bad news. Which one first?” she asked softly. Levi shrugged helplessly, both possibilities sounded horrible to his ears, but maybe get the worst over with first, just to rip the bandaid off.”

“The report says, he was barely awake, but awake nevertheless and very pale and shocked, when he got here.” she continued, “Eren has lost a lot of blood, which is why they hooked him onto supplements. They are still negotiating, whether or not to give him an additional blood transfusion. His irons levels hit very low, as he lost a fair amount of blood, so depending on the results, he may end up having a transfusion.  But he’s stable as of now. If he stays like that for the next 4 hours, things are looking up. His life is not in immediate danger, but he will be monitored closely for at least the next 2 days.” Levi nodded, had already resigned himself to another night in the chair next to Eren’s bed anyway. He would not leave his mate, even if they tried to pry him away by force, so much was certain.

“The bad news is he lost a kid. The specialist was confused about the late termination, and the results that came back from the testings, they didn’t match to a usual miscarriage, that can occur at any given time during male pregnancy, but usually the risk lowers as the pregnancy progresses.” she explained slowly, not commenting on the way Levi’s eyes teared up at that. He was still struggling to wrap his mind about his lost kid. Eren would be crushed, if they told him after waking up. He could feel his own heart breaking just from thinking about it.

“However, as I said the testing results still came back positive. Which is where the surprise comes in.” Dr. Ral goes on.

“I don’t know, if I can follow what you are talking about.” Levi apologised, voice breaking, eyes fixed on his sleeping omega.

“What I’m saying is, Eren is still pregnant.” Petra said, watching the confusion spread across Levi’s face. How could this be possible? She just told him Eren had lost the kid and now she was claiming the opposite?

“I don’t know how I was able to have missed this, when he first came to my office, but I was certain back then, that he was only carrying one child, since there was only one heartbeat. Well, it turned out Eren had been expecting twins and one of them didn’t make it. This also explains, why his kid seemed to be on the smaller side. If there are two fighting for nutritions, one is going to get the other end of the stick. Statistics show that multi kid pregnancies, have an even higher risk of miscarriage. It’s not common for them to be carried to full term, most make it hardly past mid term and complications line the way. I understand, that it is sad news, but at the same time, the other fetus seemed to be well off. The heartbeat is still steady and going strong. You can see it over there.” she points to one of the many machines hooked up to Eren. A steady rising and falling line of reassurance.

“The bleeding, was most likely caused by the detaching of the twin. There are signs pointing to a mild placental abruption, but it could also be the natural body response to the lost twin. Monitoring will tell us more about it.”

“What’s an placental abruption?” Levi asked worried.

“It’s where the placenta detaches itself from the uterus, it usually occurs past 24 weeks but with the news of the twins and how everything processed, it’s not surprising we’re facing complications that early on. There also is a slight chance, that he might be 1 or 2 more weeks far along, than we counted. It’s hard to tell with multi kid pregnancies.” she continued.

“So the remaining baby could die, too?” Levi gasped, horror making his scent shift into something ugly. .

“It’s a possibility,” Dr. Ral said gently, “but we’re monitoring the baby’s heartbeat closely and it’s steady and strong and showing no signs of distress, which is a very good sign. We need to do a scan, to confirm that it is an abruption and to check on the severity in a couple of hours again. Just to be on the safe side of things, but Eren needed some rest first.”

“There was so much blood.” Levi whispered.

“I know, it’s a scary sight.” she continued, “But it isn’t an indication of the severity of the abruption. I’m just glad you called the EMTs straight away. There was little I could have done in the middle of the night. Coming to the hospital was the best decision. That you got here so fast, might have saved Eren’s life and the one of your kid’s too. We are looking after both of them, and the monitors will send an alarm, if anything changes to critical condition for Eren or your kid.” Dr. Ral told him.

“I get it.” Levi answered, still baffled by the news. Eren was still carrying a kid, he might have lost one, but not all hope was gone. It was a miracle.

“I guess, he will sleep for a while longer, with the sedative given. You should rest too Levi. You look pretty beat up, if I’m allowed to mention.”  he smiled weakly at her. He felt like a truck had run him over.

“I’m staying. I don’t want him to wake up alone and scared.” he replied, hand petting Eren’s soft chestnut hair.

“Well at least I think we can figure something out, so you don’t have to get stuck in that uncomfortable chair.” She smiled gently, before leaving them alone. Levi dídn’t care, he would even sleep on the floor, if needed. But one of the friendly nurses brought him an additional bed, setting him up next to Eren. He knew it was an exception, without having to ask about it. But everyone had noticed how distressed Eren had been, when apart from his alpha.

Levi thanked her politely, before lying down himself, still reaching for Eren and entwining their fingers, staying as close to him as possible, before sleep pulled him under. He knew he had to tell management and maybe his parents and he had to break the news to Eren, but for now all this could wait, he was way too tired and exhausted to deal with any more onslaught. He hadn’t even bothered to check his phone, just turned it to silent.

“Overachiever.” Eren had joked, and it looped in Levi’s head. Overachieving enough, to be pleased with the news of Eren still carrying a kid.

THEIR KID.

Eren was the most amazing omega, he could have ever wished for. LEvi would make sure to remind him of that, every single day and he prayed to every god available, that his kid would make it through the rest of the pregnancy unharmed. He didn’t want to find himself in the same situation ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> btw there is 199 pages in docs left of this :)


	19. Bring on the army

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy. I love reading about what you think in the comments. I tried to obscure the journalists names, I got a little scared, that someone would sue me for actually using their names in such a manner.

Levi was out of it for a few hours, when a nurse came checking in on them at lunch, he snapped to attention and realized, he was still holding Eren’s hand, despite his arm tingling from the dead weight and strain on his muscles, from staying in the same position for so long.

“Don’t worry, everything looks alright, I’m just taking notes.” she said gently, checking the machines surrounding his omega and scribbling the results down onto the file in her hands, standing at the end of Eren’s bed.

“Has he woken up yet?” Levi asked, yawning a little and getting up and off the bed. Worried, that he slept through Eren’s awakening and distressed him further.

“Not yet, but he should come around any minute now. The dose he got should be wearing off and be out of his system soon. The doctor will come check upon him and will run further tests once Mr. Yeager’s awake and alert.” she explained, putting her ballpen away and closing his file.

“I see. Is it okay to make a few calls from here or will it be a problem, because of all the machinery?” She smiled gently at his question and the way Levi was gnawing at his lip, at the possibility of having to leave Eren, just for a few minutes at all. He never wanted to leave him ever again. Never ever!

“If you keep it short and don’t distress him in the process, it shouldn’t be a problem. It’s not disturbing the machines or giving us potential false results, so you don’t have to worry about that.” she answered, before leaving them alone again and closing the door behind herself. Levi sighed, petting Eren’s hair, as he finally pulled out the phone. It had blown up in the meantime and maybe he should feel guilty about ignoring it, but no not really. Eren and the kid had higher priority, than any other commitment he would ever take on. Eren was his number one now, carrying his kid - making him a family - more important than hockey even. Levi could feel it deep down in his core.

There was a flood of texts from teammates, a skyrocketing amount of Emails and about 50 voicemails - 10 from his mom, a good couple amount from management and his agent Shadis, as well as the rest filled with numbers he didn’t know and didn’t bother to check. He called his mom first, before getting to the rest of it. It usually limited his amount of shit to deal with, because whatever was happening, Kuchel would know.

“LEVI!!! Oh mon dieu, mon fils.” she answered straight away. He could hear her shoo his sister out of the room -  probably the kitchen from the noise of it - before dropping into a seat with a deep sigh. The faint sound of a spoon clicking in a mug, indicated that she was having tea, which made Levi smile.

“Maman. I’m sorry I haven’t called earlier.” he apologized.

“Non, don’t you apologize, just tell me what’s going on. There is all these horrible rumors around, the press speculating and writing downright horrible scenarios. Are you and Eren okay?” she cut him off straight away, ever so gently pressing for information on the situation.

“We’re still in the hospital right now. Eren is sleeping off the sedatives, they put him on.” Levi couldn’t help his voice sounding so small. “He doesn’t know yet. I still need to tell him. But oh maman, I was so scared. There was all this blood and Eren was in so much pain.” Levi rambled, feeling his own eyes prick with unshed tears.

“Oh mon cœur, but they are taking care of him now. It will be okay. Don’t you worry. What did the doctors say?” Kuchel soothed, feeling her heart break for the both of them. From the few things Levi had said so far, the outcome didn’t sound too good, so she feared, there was more to the rumors Deadspin and Puck Daddy had picked up, than she liked to be true.

“They want to run more test once he wakes up, to confirm their diagnosis. Dr. Ral said he lost a lot of blood and they still don’t know, whether or not they will put him on a transfusion soon, he gets additional supplements as of now, to help manage the deficit, but there’s not much painkillers he could easily take, without putting the kid at risk. Something like that . They couldn’t even allow him to use a heating pad.” Levi explains to her, hearing his mom gasp at the mention of her grandchild still being alive.

Levi was holding on tightly to Eren’s hand, that was lying next to his head on the pillow, the IV needle sticking out prominently, against the pale skin of the back of his hand, running his fingertips gently across the skin, to show his omega he was still with him, as he kept talking to his mother.

“They mentioned, that Eren had been carrying twins unknown to his OBGYN and that one of them didn’t make it, causing him all this pain. They are afraid, there are some detached tissue issues, that could risk the other kids life, but that’s just a guess so far and they want to look into that with more test, after he wakes up. I’m just, I was so shocked maman. I thought he lost our kid and then they told me all of this, I couldn’t believe it. It’s still hard to understand, that he is going through all of this for me. For us. That we are blessed enough, to still have a kid. I don’t even know what to feel. I feel all of it at the same time.” Levi sighed, voice breaking on the last sentence, from all the conflicted emotions going on inside of him.

“Oh, mon cher. It’s going to be okay. You are both such tough guys and of course the news were shocking. But as you said, there still is a kid to take care of and as much as the loss might hurt, you still have a chance. It will be fine,  mon fils. The doctors will look after both of them, to the best of their abilities.”

“I really hope so maman.” Levi whispered. It was good to hear his mother’s reassurance, that they would come out of this okay.  

“Do you want us to come down for a few days? I could keep an eye on both your dearest, while you’re on the road and Eren wouldn’t be alone. I’m sure dad would tag along as well.” Kuchel suggested. Levi wasn't entirely sure, if that would be a good idea, but then he's looking at Eren, who is still snuggled half away under the hospital blanket, hand resting on his baby bump, appearing to be blinking awake slowly and reasons with himself to agree. Even though Kuchel hasn't meet Eren yet, he was pretty sure his mom would take good care of his omega and so would his dad. Eren could really do with some company after all and Levi felt bad enough to leave him alone, while he was away on the road. If someone would have bothered to ask him, he wouldn’t leave Eren in the first place.  But Hockey was his job and someone had to stand up for the team and if Eren could carry his kid, he could take care of the Blackhawks, until Eren would join him on the ice again, with their kid in the stands cheering them on.

“Maman,  I think that is a great idea, I want Eren to be safe.”  Levi murmured. He was glad that his mom was offering, but at the same time, he was worried about his sister. She needed her parents too.

“It will be no problem, mon cher. Let me take care of the details. I'm going to book a flight down to Chicago and we will be there, before you know it.” Kuchel reassured him.

“But what about Mikasa?” Levi asked, voicing his concern.

“Don't you worry baby, it will be taken care of. I will text you the details as soon, as I have everything set up. Now look after your mate and your kid, while I organize everything.”

“Je t'aime maman.” Levi sighed, clutching the phone a little tighter.

“Moi aussi, mon fils.” Kuchel answered, as they said their goodbyes. Hanging up the phone to his mother, Levi felt a little more relieved, knowing that was taken care of.

Levi glanced over to his omega, eyes still filled with worry. Eren was coming out of the clutches of the sedative slowly.  His teal green eyes still a little blurry and unfocused at first, before his gaze locked with his alpha’s. Levi could see all the sadness in there, the worry in the way Eren was biting his lips, almost to the point of drawing blood and the uneasiness making him look only half like the vibrant brunette angel, than he usually would be. The fear hiding in the deep ocean of his half opened eyes.

“Levi.” Eren rasped, throat still sore and voice scratchy from lack of use and his screams earlier in the night, when he had been in so much pain.

“Shh, mon cher. It’s okay baby.” Levi soothed, handing Eren the cup filled with water from his night stand.

“I'm so sorry, Levi.”  Eren mumbled.

“It’s not your fault, shh mon cher. It’s not so bad. I promise.” Levi tried to assure him, while he pressed the button to call the nurse.

“But the kid.” Eren mumbled, breaking his gaze, afraid of the disappointment he would see mirrored in Levi’s eyes. He couldn’t even take care of Levi’s baby, he was such an awful omega. Couldn’t keep his kid safe. The shift in his scent was obvious to Levi, the tinge of thunder and rain filling the room slowly.

“The kid is ok.” Levi murmured, his hand joining Eren's on his baby bump, his fingers settling protectively, over the slightly rounding skin, the home to their kid.

“But all this blood?” Eren said, tears gathering in his wide eyes, as he looked up at Levi through his long lashes.

“Don’t cry baby, don’t cry. Please don’t cry. I promise one of our kids is okay. We are blessed. I’m so proud of you. You are such a good omega. You did nothing wrong, mon cher.” Levi said softly, pressing a kiss on the crown of Eren’s head, fingers caressing the soft skin underneath his fingertips.

“One of?” Eren asked, voice shifting into surprise, as the nurse came rushing into the room, destroying their moment together.

“Ah! Mister Yeager, how are you feeling?”

“I’m not sure. I just woke up.” Eren mumbled, not focussed enough to take stock of his body yet.

“Well, are you in any pain?” she asked patiently, checking the numbers on the machines surrounding him in the meanwhile, without disturbing them, where Levi sat close to Eren’s side.

“It’s not so bad.” Eren answered, honestly.

“But it’s still lingering?” she asked.

“Well it’s more of a pressure feeling. I know it’s there, but it’s not actually twinging and aching.” Eren replied a little lost.

“That’s a good sign then. It shows that the sedative is still working, but it’s not strong enough to keep you asleep anymore. Your results are looking good too. I will tell Dr. Ral. She’s around to check on you.” she replied with a smile.

“Thank you.” Levi said, waiting for her to leave and feeling the grip of his omega’s hand soften. For a second he was afraid, Eren would break his hand, but even if, Levi wouldn’t have complained about it, as long as it helped him to keep calm, he would endure everything. He could imagine Horseface saying something about: “Wait until he gives birth, a broken hand will be your least problem.”, but suppressed the thought as fast as possible.

It didn’t go unnoticed by Eren, but he just smiled softly at Levi, almost in apology.

“So…” Eren ventured, to pick up their conversation, where they left of, when the nurse entered.

“Maybe Dr. Ral can explain it better, she’s the doctor after all. But I’m not mad at you, mon cher. I’m just so glad to have both of you, still here.” Levi said, having heard the approaching footsteps in the hallway, indicating the doctor's arrival. Eren seemed confused, about Levi’s retreat, but as he caught sight of Dr. Ral in the doorway, it all made sense.

“Hello Eren.” she greeted him, closing the door behind her, as she stepped into the room, to keep their conversation private.

“Hi.” Eren offered, with a small smile.

“Good to see you awake this time. You gave us all a little scare there, but don’t worry.” she kept her voice soft and gentle. There was no need to get him worked up, now that the situation seemed to be under control.

“Well hasn’t been so long, since my last visit.” Eren mumbled, trying for a flat joke. Dr. Ral laughed a little at that. It was true, barely 48 hours had passed, since Eren had been in her office.

“I don’t know how much Levi already told you, and we’re going to take another ultrasound to make sure, but the situation isn’t as bad as everybody thought.” she explained.

“Levi hasn’t given anything away yet.” Eren told her, anxiety still coursing through him, despite her reassurance.

“Okay. We can work with that. If you don’t mind, I would take you to the examination room now, so we can get that ultrasound on the way.” He nodded, but glanced at Levi fearfully.

“I’m afraid Levi can’t join us this time, but I promise it won’t be long.” she offered, disconnecting several devices from Eren, as she spoke. Reluctantly Eren let go of Levi’s hand.

“It will be fine.” Levi smiled, kissing Eren’s forehead one last time and helping him sit up, as Dr. Ral helped to get him upright.

“I’m not sure, if I can walk all the way.” Eren worried, still holding onto the bed with one hand, with his legs feeling like jello.

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to. Just a few steps, over to the door and we get you sorted.” Dr. Ral encouraged, opening the door, to reveal a nurse with a wheelchair. Eren sighed. It wasn’t nice to need a wheelchair, if his legs were still working properly, but he knew it was needed as of right now. He slowly made his way over and sat down, grimacing at the twinge in his back, as he did. His doctor observed him closely, taking notice of it and filing it away for later, since Eren didn’t actively complain about being in pain, but she would prod him about it anyway, as soon as they reached the examination room.

“I’ll be waiting for you.” Levi smiled, watching Eren take off down the hall, with a small sad wave. There would still be enough chances to see his kid in action, so he didn’t hold onto any hard feelings, about missing out now.

It left him time to deal with the rest of the phone calls and to check the media his mother had mentioned. He rather read it himself and tell Eren about it, while being able to offer comforting words, than have his omega read it on his own and get super upset in the process again. It was obvious, that Eren wasn’t so good at dealing with his own press and the pregnancy hormones would only make matters worse.

Levi called their agent Shadis next, this time it felt convenient rather than creepy. He didn’t need to explain it to a stranger, he knew Keith Shadis long enough himself, has been working with him since moving to US to play hockey.

If Keith was surprised, he didn’t let it show. Levi explained the situation as well as he had to his mother earlier, answering all of their agents questions patiently. Of course the media was wreaking havoc over both of them, he had expected that much from his mother's comments, even though he hadn’t read any of the articles yet. Keith told him about the few, he had forwarded to Levi via Email and asked whether or not, they should pull up a statement. Levi trusted Keith Shadis, had even told him about his and Eld’s plans for the issue they wanted to present to the NHLPA, so drawing up a statement for his and Eren’s defence came naturally. They wanted to keep things on the down low, there was no way around admitting to the situation at hand, but a call for respecting their privacy needed to be done. Keith was on board with that, knowing Levi for long enough to handle everything with care. There was not much they could do about all the bad press and speculation, but they could at least attempt damage control. Levi also asked Shadis to contact their management for agreement, as well as handing over the draft of Eren’s new contract, they had been working on to keep him on the team, bond to Levi, but most of all to keep him safe. Levi wanted his family to be safe and Eren shouldn’t need to worry about these things. He also asked for the number of Eren’s billet family to keep them in the loop, which he promised to pass on.

Shadis promised to have the paperwork done, send over and delivered by this evening. He had a few lawyers from the legal department at hand, if the Blackhawks decided to refuse and promised Levi to keep him updated, should any trouble arise. He also would issue at least a few days of rest for Levi. Games to play or not, they needed him focussed and he could only focus, if he knew Eren was safe and sound and settled in.

“Just to make it clear Levi, you go take care of your mate and let me deal with Nile Dawk and the rest of the gang. You don’t need to contact management on your own. I think, it’s safer for you and Eren this way. With all you told me about the board's meeting and everything,  that’s the least I can do for both of you. We’ll get through this. I’ll have both of your backs, I promise. Tell Eren to get better soon and to tell his kid we already love it.” Shadis smiled as he and Levi said their goodbyes.

It felt good to know, they had their agents support and it made Levi breathe easier, to not have to face Nile or even listen to any of his rants for the next days at least.

He shot a text to Horseface and Bertolt, to cover up their teammates requests and opened his browser to go over the provided links by Shadis. The first headline on Puck Daddy was enough to make him feel sick to his stomach.

* * *

 

 

**Eren Yeager blows up the Blackhawks by taking it all**

 

_ Gregory Brishynska _

_ Feb 25, 2008, 9:17 AM _

 

The lines for the Chicago Blackhawks might be changing soon and we are not just talking about their line up during games. According to several sources the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) responded to a 911 call last night from Trost Tower, allegedly made by no one other, than Chicago Blackhawks Captain Levi Ackerman, who obviously was in need of an ambulance, that showed up around 3:15 a.m. on the premises according to eyewitnesses.

As photographic evidence on Twitter and other social media indicate, he wasn’t actually the one in need of medical assistance, but from the look of it his teammate Yeager. Reports claim to have seen blood splattered across the paper cover of the EMTs gurney, indicating some serious issues.

Rumors about possible leaked audio footage of the call online, provide the reason for the call was no other than complications regarding Eren Yeager’s pregnancy, while offering another bombshell in its wake, since Yeager is referred to as Ackerman’s mate.

Well this is a first one, we weren’t expecting. If this proves to be true - we already asked the Blackhawks organization and contacted agent Keith Shadis for a statement - than the career of Eren Yeager most likely will only continue off the ice and back home. Up until this morning no statement has been issued by any of the parties involved.

The aftermath of a wasted first round draft pick case will be one of ruin. Trust ruined. Faith in equity – and frequently in humanity, given the toxic nature of the debate over the Chicago Blackhawks and their star’s actions – ruined.  Lives forever changed.

This news comes in like a pane of soundproof glass being shattered, with thousands of previously muted voices, suddenly echoing through the hockey world, speaking out about unbonded pairs on teams, while knowing what the backlash will most likely going to look like. Voices about trades grow louder and more energetic and people even pressing for a ban of Eren Yeager from the league all together.

Maybe the risk of putting Yeager on the same team as Ackerman was too much to take. The alpha couldn’t be reached for a statement and we assume, that he is still in the hospital with Yeager, observing the situation. We can only assume how furious he must be, for having to share a line with a whore, who got himself knocked up, after just starting out in the NHL. The market for available right wingers in the middle of the season is small and the salary cap an all time issue, even for someone as powerful as Nile Dawk. We’ll update you on the decision and solution of the Blackhawks, as they surface.

Nevertheless, we hope Eren Yeager comes out healthy and finds someone, who will clean up after his mess.

 

************

 

* * *

 

 

Deadspin is running a similar story, but their tone even worse than the story he had already read on Puck Daddy. Levi feels ready to punch a wall by now. The disrespect for his privacy and his mate sends his blood boiling, he considers asking the head nurse for something calming like tea, before he rushes out of the room and beats the first reporter he can find into an unrecognizable pulp.

* * *

 

 

**Eren Yeager comes home with a surprise under his belt  - needs immediate care**

 

**Author:** _ Jack Dickey _

_ Thursday 02/25/08 3:25 a.m _

**Filed to:**  EREN YEAGER  

 

**R** emember last November’s lovers night? We certainly do.  _ [Read more here:  _ _ Eren Yeager coming home after a lover’s trip with his Team captain  _ _ ] _

This night we got the sequel for you, as one of Chicago’s 911 dispatcher’s answered a frantic call of our teams distressed captain from Trost Tower around 3.am. Chicago Blackhawk’s rookie  **Eren Yeager** obviously in lots of pain and bleeding, was in need of emergency care, the ambulance arrived and swept him off to the hospital, with Ackerman in tow. The scenery one straight out from a horror movie, if the photos are anything to go by. Hold your stomach contents and proceed with caution in our photo gallery underneath.

But this was not a game injury, nor a lovers accident, leaked footage tells us all we need to know. You all remember the stories about the birds and the bees, that’s exactly the reason for all the commotion in front of Trost Tower tonight. Unbonded omega Yeager got himself a little present from his trip to Columbus, it seems.

The audio calls him Ackerman’s mate, so we are pretty certain there is some team building going on, but certainly not planned, given that there still is a kid on the way, with the gore show. 

Love and bond for Levi Ackerman came early it seems, with a side serving of chestnut hair and green eyes.

Rumor has it, that they mated, but neither of their contracts suggests this news. So this either is one brilliant fuck up, with a bland lie as cover, or just some more fire on the stove of the drama in the Hawks locker room. Alpha  **Ackerman** couldn’t be reached for a comment nor was any statement issued so far. But who even needs that, if the audio presents us with all we need to know.

The career of Eren Yeager was short lived, it’s unlikely he will return to the roster  **pregnant as he is** . We will make sure to keep a close look on his figure and hope he’s well taken care of at the hospital. He should have enough time in the future to remember the daddy’s name after all.

He certainly hasn’t let time go to waste founding a family, since his own has no use for him. We have reached out to the Yeager family in the light of the breaking news and will update as soon, as we have more for you on the case of Preggo Eren. He definitely beat his sister over the first born, all stats considered.

The fire never seems to go out with  **#25 and #33.** Hopefully Levi keeps a cool head, when he returns to the ice for the next game.

**If you know more, or have anything to add, hit up the comments below** .

 

************

* * *

 

 

Levi dares to scroll through the gallery after all, disgusted by the story Deadspin wrote and concerned, that Eren’s family was contacted. The notes of well wishes could actually be ignored, given the amount of bullshit they spread about his mate. There are several pictures from outside Trost Tower, as they’d loaded Eren into the ambulance. He was not more than a blurred point of brown hair, lying on his side, face tugged down and obscured by the EMT at the side of his head. Levi remembers the guy, softly talking to Eren in a calm and steady voice, giving him instructions on how to breathe through the waves of pain. Some photos seemed to be taken from inside the hotel with reflections of glass, offering a higher angle on the situation, but still grainy and blurry.

Except for one, that seemed to be taken by a professional, stark contrast of the blood on the paper cover and Eren’s screwed up face in all its gory detail. The pain and tear streaks visible and sharp against the dark nights sky and in contrast to the uniforms of the EMTs, with himself following the gurney to the car, before riding shotgun. Thankfully his face was obscured by his cap, pulled low over his forehead, but Levi remembered perfectly clear the desperation of the moment, as he had held the door to the ambulance, watching Eren being loaded on, before climbing in next to the EMT, who was driving.

The low whispered I love you, before Eren was out of his field of vision, the gut aching cold fear of the upcoming had made him shiver.

He really wants to find that photographer and punch all his teeth out, for shoving his lense in this private moment of their lives, for making money out of their angst and pain.

The rest of the gallery consisted of screenshots of tweets on Twitter. Levi couldn’t help himself, but read through every single one of them as well.

 

* * *

 

 

**NHL Network(@NHLNetwork)** Line changes, Life changes for the @NHLBlackhawks - Baby Hawks in the making

 

**TMZ (@TMZ)** Blackhawks Star Eren Yeager’s career end - pregnancy

 

**Tom Grahoe (@ByTomGrahoe)** Blackhawks right winging Omega is out pregnant

 

**Tom Grahoe (@ByTomGrahoe)** 911 call concerning Eren Yeager says he’s mated to team captain Levi Ackerman

 

**Julie DiCat (@JulieDiCat)** Omega Yeager kills his career for love with team Captain Ackerman

 

**Sports Mockery** (@Sportmockery) REPORT: Yeager out knocked up and in hospital

 

**Hockey Captain** (@hockeycapt) Blackhawks should suspend Yeager for not keeping his legs closed! Pregnant omega on the run. Save our captain from trauma!

 

**Drunk Eren Yeager (@Drunk_Yeager33)** BREAKING: Got a captain to love and babies to have, I approve. Thx to OEMC for tonight.

 

* * *

 

 

At least one person seemed to be positive about them, but still the underline of the reports was clear: They wanted Eren off the team and he couldn’t let that happen. Levi closed the browser with a heavy heart, checking his Emails again to see Shadis text sitting on top. It was time to talk to Eren’s billet family, maybe they could help with the oncoming disaster of a possible comment by the Yeager family. For all Levi knew, the Zacharias were supportive of Eren.

He wasn’t mistaken at all, Nanaba Zacharias was glad to get news, even if it was through Levi. She seemed wary first, before the conversation rolled freely. Levi couldn’t deny her that, she didn’t know him, nor his intentions. If she was surprised about the news of Eren’s pregnancy, she didn’t let it show, running through the basics smoothly with Levi, who assured her, that he would look after his mate and that of course he was in it with his whole heart. Nanaba always a good listener, knew that there was something else as well, that made Levi call her and she didn’t let up, prodding at him, until he spilled the concerns about the Yeager’s possible reaction, regarding the media coverage.

“Oh, I see the problem. There’s not much I can say about it Levi. All we know is, that Eren gets along okay with his sister Faye. She’s the only one who reached out to him, when he was still living with us. I’m sure his sister wouldn’t blackmail him, but I can’t say the same about his parents, dear.”

“I know, I’m sorry for putting this on you Mrs. Zacharias.” Levi apologized.

“I can assure you, that we will be there for him, if he ever needs us. He should know this. I can’t come to Chicago at the moment, since we’re busy with our kids, two are sick, but otherwise I would be there in a heartbeat.”

“I do understand that of course. Don’t worry I’ve got it covered. My mother is flying in and will take over, when I need to go on the road.” Levi reassured her, listening to her laugh a little.

“I’m sure Eren will be fine and in good hands. He needs all the motherly love he can get. We always tried our best, but it was hard to get through to him sometimes. I’m sure your mother is lovely women and will take good care of him. Still, don’t hesitate to ring us up, if you need more support Levi.” she replied smoothly.

“Will do for sure, Mrs. Zacharias.”

“You can call me Nanaba, darling. If you are as serious about Eren, as you are supposed to be about hockey, I’m sure you’ll be the best that ever happened to him. But don’t think, I wouldn’t take the time to come down to Chicago to have your balls, in case you chicken out.” she threatened in a tense voice, making Levi laugh. He wasn’t scared by her, but he took her words seriously, knowing she only had Eren’s best interest in mind.

“Thank you for everything Nanaba. I will tell Eren to call you, as soon as he gets back from the tests they are running on him.”

“No problem. Keep your heads up, you’ll both make it through this. Goodbye Levi.”

“Bye Nanaba.” the alpha ended the call, feeling a little safer, after checking in with the Zacharias. They had all the help they could get, if things would be coming down hard on them. He still felt uncomfortable about Faye Yeager, but Nanaba had assured him, she was good for Eren and he loved his sister dearly.

Levi had just put his phone away, as the nurse brought Eren back, who looked tired, but more at ease, than he had when they left earlier.

“Levi.” he yawned, a little smile on his face upon seeing his alpha, as he made his way to the bed and back under the covers, having all the machinery slipped back on by the nurse, before she left them alone and closed the door behind her.

“Hi my love.” Levi smiled, kissing Eren sweetly, watching his eyelids flutter shut and the flush appear on his cheeks, leaving them with a soft red tinge.

“Glad you’re here.” Eren murmured against his lips, content inhaling his alpha’s scent. The soothing maple scent he had missed, when Dr. Ral and the other doctors had prodded away at him during the examination.

“How are you feeling, mon cher?”

“Better now that I have you.” Eren mumbled, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

“Still exhausted?” Levi checked worried.

“A little, and it’s cold. But that’s because they kept my shirt off for the entire time. I’m sure the baby is cold too.” Eren complained, rubbing a hand over his stomach, pouting. Levi smiled, feeling his heart run away from him at the scene, as he slipped into the bed with Eren, careful to not disturb any of the tubes and cables of the various machinery, as he reached around him, to cover his omega’s stomach with his own warmer hands.

“So much better.” Eren praised, snuggling into his alpha, as close as he could, sinking into the feeling of Levi’s tracing fingertips over his exposed skin.

“Is baby still freezing?” Levi asked softly, after some time, feeling Eren shake his head, the soft hair brushing against Levi’s throat.

“Much better, best alpha.”

“And you are my best omega. Mine. So proud of you, mon cher.” Levi murmured softly, fingers scratching Eren’s neck, basking in the content feeling of his omega, feeling safe with him.

“Dr. Ral said, the kid is healthy and taking it well. If I’m good, I can go back home tomorrow.” Eren offered, looking hopeful.

“That’s amazing news, my love. You’re both so strong. Such a good omega, looking after our kid.” Levi praised, laying a little alpha steel into his voice. He wanted Eren to remember that always, no matter what the future held for them.

“The tissue is not bothering the little one, but they will keep an eye on it. Dr. Ral told me, that I shouldn’t feel bad about the other kid. They are pretty sure it was already dead, before this happened, since they only ever had one heartbeat. She said it’s unfortunate it happened, but sometimes that’s just how multiple kids happen to deal with it. The strongest will survive.” Eren murmured a little sad.

“I know, mon cher. I know you’re sad and so am I. But you’re such a good omega, taking all of this on you, for us. And I’m sure our kid will be the best fighter. You’ve got a little enforcer right there in you. Just wait till he starts kicking everybody’s ass, once he’s around to harass all the other kids at family skate.” Levi soothed, feeling Eren smile against his collarbone, sniffling a little.

“You’re already so sure it will be a boy Levi.” Eren teased.

“Well I don’t know, it can be a girl too, I wouldn’t care either way, as long as they are strong and healthy and as beautiful as you are my love.”

“I’m so flattered, stop it.” Eren giggled happily, blooming under Levi’s praise.

“Either way, we will have the best kid. I can already see him beating up Horseface in the locker room for his bad dad jokes.” Levi laughed.

“Levi Ackerman, you are officially the worst!” Eren smiled, kissing his jaw.

“I know, only settle for the best my smol titan and look who you got here - me.” Levi teased, a smirk playing around the corner of his lips, sending Eren into another fit of giggles.

“Mine. My best alpha ever.” eren murmured, once he was done laughing.

“Always yours, mon cher. You are not alone in this. I’ve made some calls, while you were gone and we have an entire army ready to fight for us. Shadis is drawing up your new contract and negotiating with the front office, he will kick their asses, I promise. Nanaba says she loves you and you should call her, whenever you need something - she’s a great women, and will fight tooth and nail for us - and my mom is flying in tomorrow and looking forward to spoil you rotten. Horseface and Bertolt send you the best well wishes, along with the rest of the team and I could hardly stop them from all showing up and crowding in here. And you know what’s the best, mon cher?” Levi asked, voice genuine and full of love.

“What?” Eren dares to ask, voice wobbly, hearing about all the support they have and how Levi had been taking care of him, even if he wasn’t bound to do so.

“Keith got me a few days off, so you won’t be alone and I can make sure, that both of my precious  people are well off. So once we are back home, we have all the time in the world to cuddle, snuggle and do whatever you want.” Levi replied, voice thick and fond.

“You’re the best alpha! I love you.” Eren sobbed, clinging to Levi’s chest, spilling tears of happiness.

“And you are the best omega. I’m so glad I’m allowed to take care of you, mon cher.” Levi reassured, pressing soft kisses to the crown of Eren’s head, thumb brushing softly over the soft skin of Eren’s stomach.

“I wish you could claim me right now. Never want to let you go.” Eren mumbled.

“Never want to let you go either. Won’t ever, I promise, I’ll claim you as soon, as we are allowed to. Will make you mine.“ Levi bend down a little to nose at Eren’s throat, teeth scraping over the sensitive skin there. Eren shivered in his arms, whining a little, fingers flexing on Levi’s biceps.

“Shh, I know my love. I’m desperate for it too.” Levi soothed, nipping his way up Eren’s jaw, before sealing his lips with his own, their breath mingling in symphony.

He couldn’t wait to have Eren back home with him. Levi wanted to buy him a house to nest into, wanted to be there every step of the way. He wanted to score a hat trick every game, Eren was not on the ice with him, to make his omega feel loved and valued.

They had a long road ahead of them, but they had an army to fight at their side and Ackerman felt ready to take on the world for his family’s happiness.


	20. Home is where your heart is

Levi’s mother flew in late afternoon the next day and picked them up with Levi’s car, as Eren was finally discharged from the hospital.

The omega was nervous meeting Kuchel for the first time. He felt better, but Dr. Ral had scheduled him an appointment in the upcoming week, just to be sure that the tissue tear hadn’t gotten any worse. She assured them, that everything was fine, but advised Eren to stay on bed rest for the most part. Levi had seen his mate’s face fall at the realization of no practice, no hockey and no work out, just stuck at home, but then again it was a small price to pay, in comparison to what had been on the line for them.

What neither of them was prepared for, was the storm that would arise soon enough.

Kuchel wasn’t shy with Eren at all, she fussed over him like every mom would and Eren didn’t protest. It felt a little weird to have Levi and his mom literally watching his every move, but as he got settled back in Levi’s condo, he couldn’t have been more grateful.  The weather outside was rainy and dark, but Eren didn’t care, he had to stay in bed either way. What he didn’t understand was, why the curtains were drawn mostly all the way shut.

He was out in the living room, snuggled onto the couch with Levi, rubbing his ankles, some documentary playing out on the TV in front of them, when Kuchel joined them, carrying coffee, water and homemade cookies she insisted on baking, to Levi’s groaning - because all the sugar really not in my diet maman – as he took one anyway.

“Levi, why don’t we pull back the curtains for a while, all this darkness gets really depressing.” Eren had asked, watching his alpha frown and bite his lips, before switching on the lamp instead.

“Well, we can always lighten things up.” Levi joked with a small smile, but he knew there and then, that Eren wouldn’t buy into his shit.

“Levi! Oh come on!” Eren stubbed his toe against his alpha’s wrist, whining a bit for emphasis.

“Mon cher, it’s really not that bright outside.” Levi hedged.

“Not bright my ass dude. What the fuck is going on?” Eren complained adding a softer, “Sorry Kuchel.” for cursing, which only made her roll her eyes.

“Tell him shorty, he deserves to know. Also don’t worry I’ve raised hockey players. It’s not like I’ve never been in a locker room full of swearing, cursing thirteen-year-olds.”

“Tell me what?” Eren looked alarmed, muscles tensing up under Levi’s hands immediately, the alpha glared at his mother. He had kept it from Eren for a reason, to not bother him and get him worked up, but now there was no way around it.

“It’s to keep the reporters lingering outside, from taking photos. I don’t want them to splash you all over the front page of their next issue. I know we are up high here, but you never know where they linger to get a shot. There was some god awful press written about us. Shadis took care of most of it, but you know how it is Eren, once they smell blood, they never leave, before they’ve finished the entire meal.” Levi murmured, managing to look guilty for even having kept this from him.

Eren sighed, loud and deeply, before slumping back boneless into the couch. He wasn’t surprised. Maybe he should have figured, but he was so busy with being good and looking after their kid, to make sure it was okay, having Kuchel to distract him, that he had totally forgotten about the outside world and their prying noses.

“How bad is it?” he asked, tears already building in his eyes. He would never be a good enough omega, to not make the news it seems.

“You don’t need to worry about it, mon cher.” Levi soothed, shuffling over to hug his omega close.

“Bullshit and you know it.” Eren sniffled.

Kuchel made a displeased sound at Levi’s reluctance.

“Eren, I believe my son only has your best interest at heart, wanting to protect you, nevertheless all of Chicago is watching both of you so closely, they could tell you, what you had for breakfast. They go to great lengths looking for stories, contacting all sorts of people. Not all of them might be friendly towards you. I think Levi just wants to protect both of you from any harm or distress.” she said, pursing her lips sadly.

Eren nodded into the crook of Levi’s neck before his body tensed up. They were contacting all people?

“Eren? What are you thinking about?” Levi murmured into his hair, his hands flying over Eren’s back, trying to get him to loosen up and relax.

“What if they contacted my parents?” he squealed, voice going higher at the end with worry.

Levi glared at his mom a little, this was exactly the situation, he had wanted to avoid.

“Even if they did, what’s there for them to say. They don’t have anything to say about this. It’s your family Eren. It’s ours. They can’t take it away from you.” Levi tried to reassure him, as his omega’s tears soaked into his shirt collar as Eren cried silently, breath hitching every now and again.

“But what, if they want to take our kid away?” Eren sobbed, afraid of the possibility itself.

“I won’t let them. Calm down, mon cher. They can’t do that. There is no reason to take our kid away. You’re a great omega. You’re not alone in this. You have us. Remember? You have my mom and the Zacharias and everybody will stand up for you. We all will.” Levi murmured, rocking Eren a little back and forth until he stopped crying and was half asleep with exhaustion in his arms, not letting go of Levi for even an inch of space.

Levi shuffled them down on the couch, to get more comfortable, already having resigned to the fact, that he wouldn’t be able to leave the couch until Eren woke up again, but that didn’t keep him from making dagger eyes at his mom.

“I had my reasons for not telling him.” he hissed at her quietly. The “Look what you have done!” filling the air between them unspoken.

“I know Levi, but he needed to know. You weren’t going to wait until they came up to crush him, were you?” she questioned with a sigh.

“They have no reason to bother him. They can fuck off for all they did to him. It’s my kid, our kid. I won’t let them have it. Not even over my dead body! He’s mine!” Levi growled.

“You don’t need to tell me.” Kuchel soothed him. Getting her son more worked up wasn’t going to help the both of them. It felt endearing to her, to see Levi being so protective over his omega. She had raised him well.

The next days went by way too quickly, with lots of snuggling, back rubs and Eren’s favourite food. He would deny having cravings until the day he died, but he so had!

Levi made sure to spoil Eren rotten, even brings up looking for a house, which Eren looked excited about, but also is reluctant to agree to. He seems a little scared at the prospect of seriously settling down, as if someone would come and rip it away from them, right after Eren decided to give it a chance.

Kuchel stays out of their way sometimes, running errands or simply taking Levi’s credit card for a shopping spree. She never shows up with bags, evidence of her outings, but Levi sees the bills anyway and smiles. Kuchel spends most of the money on baby stuff and stores all of it in the guestroom of Eren’s apartment, out of sight, after Levi had given her the spare key.

Eren rarely even goes to his condo anyway, preferring his alpha’s condo over his own, because here at least everything smells a bit like Levi.

Kuchel mostly just buys small things, nothing too big, but she takes her time to engage Eren into looking for nursery furniture at the start of march.  Levi hears them argue over color schemes, when he gets back from practice one afternoon.

Eventually Levi had to go back to playing hockey, which also resulted in having to face the music of a press conference on his first day back with the team. Levi would remember the 12th March 2008 for a while, that was sure. Much to Nile Dawk’s disappointment, Ackerman, as he now referred to him instead of Levi, had refused to answer any personal questions. Nothing about his and Eren’s relationship. Nothing about Eren’s pregnancy. Nothing about any other of their plans for the future.

He had stuck to Keith Shadis statement without batting an eye, much to the front office’s dismay. No matter how hard they had tried to pry information out of Levi, even actively trying to turn Levi against his own omega, he had blown them all off.

Eren was HIS!

This was HIS kid!

It was nobody's fucking business but their own!

One reporter even went so far, as to quote Eren’s dad, who obviously had stepped up to the plate, to make his opinion known to the public about his ‘disappointing omega son’.  Levi would need to check up with Shadis on that, in the end it could all just as well been a lie. It wouldn’t be the first time media made up their own quotes, just to drive their point home or get an advantage of some sort.

So Levi is completely exhausted, when he returns to his condo one afternoon a week later. He relaxes a little, as he listens to Kuchel and Eren discussing color schemes for the nursery, Eren arguing, that he doesn’t want to wait for the gender to be known, and would just rather go with something light that fits either way. Eren sounds happy to him, eager even, about the pending arrival of their kid. With all the check ups after his hospital stint, his LMC had postponed the 18 weeks sonogram a little, to give both of them room and to grand Eren’s wish to have Levi with him.

The alpha casually goes through the pile of mail, he stopped and picked up at Eren’s condo. His heart skips, when he comes across a letter with a return address to a law firm in Buffalo, New York. This isn’t going to help improve his mood at all.

It feels like he’s holding a lethal bomb, that can kill all their efforts upon opening and cause more suffer and pain to his omega, than Levi is willing to face. But he knows, that ignoring the inevitable isn’t going to make it go away. He places the mail into his small study, stalling a little more, before joining his mom and Eren in the living room.

They are crowded around the Macbook, scrolling through the internet, chatting animatedly about a playpen Kuchel thinks is good to get, while Eren seems still unsure, if they would need it this soon.

“It might just block up some space we need at first.” Eren is arguing, his hands moving vaguely as he talks, which is so typical for him.

“But it’s important, when you guys travel, it’s portable and helps you out, when you are occupied. You can’t just use the pram or baby carrier all the time. And don’t look at me like that Eren, the car seat is not an option either.” Kuchel laughed, as Eren pouted.

“What about the bassinet or bouncy seat? Urgh there’s literally so much options.” he sighs, wringing his hands. “It’s making me feel light-headed and my legs hurt.” Eren complains, stretching himself out more on the couch, pouting at his stomach.

“I know, we will get through it, don’t you worry.” she soothes, patting his hand gently, before smiling at Levi over his shoulder. Levi is not sure, if he’s smiling back, it feels more like a grimace or deep frown, the way his face contorts. Eren hadn’t complained much, but Levi was good in observing his omega and if Eren did actually say something, it made him worry straight away, especially after all they’ve already been through. His mom had told him a lot about how pregnancy makes you a little more sensitive to the pain and changes in your body, but it didn’t really help Levi unclench.

He settles next to his omega, letting his hand close calmingly around the back of Erens neck, thumb pressing into the tensed up knot at the side, Eren always gets from sitting bowed over for so long.

“There’s still time to figure all of it out, don’t you fret, mon cher.” Levi said, feeling Eren cuddle up to him.

“At least you are back.” Eren murmurs, rubbing his face against his alpha’s chest. He misses Levi a lot when he’s gone, be it practice or games, it doesn’t matter.

“I’m here. But I need to borrow my mom for a moment. I promise it won’t take long.” he says. Pressing a kiss to Eren’s temple.

“If you need to.” Eren whined, glaring at Levi a little for leaving him so soon after getting home. Usually he would get at least one hour of pleasant cuddle time, before Levi did anything else, no matter what was on schedule for the day.

“Why don’t you look up the bassinet you’ve seen on TV.” Kuchel suggested, getting up casually. She knew from the way Levi was holding himself so tightly, that there was something up he needed her help with to solve. Eren’s smile brightened at that, and he turned his attention back to the computer.

“Yeah sounds good, you can show me then, we’ll just be over in the study.” Levi says, kissing Eren one last time, before making his way over, Kuchel in tow.

His mother carefully closes the door behind them, before turning towards her son, who had slumped down in the desk chair, rubbing his face tiredly.

“What’s up, mon fils.” Kuchel asked, eyeing him with concern clearly written all over her face.

“I picked up Eren’s mail on the way home and there was THIS.” Levi sighs, holding up the letter from Buffalo. “According to the return address it’s from a law firm and nothing ever good comes from this.” Levi sighed, turning the letter over and over in his hands.

“You won’t know for sure, without opening it.” she suggests gently, leaning against the desk he’s sitting at.

“I really don’t think Eren needs more shit on top of what he’s already dealing with. I really want to tell him, at least include him, but we both know that any stress or distress will not help him and the kid and I can’t risk both of them, maman.” Levi sounded even more beat down, than he did the night Eren had been taken to the hospital. All the worry and responsibility to do the best for his family was clearly wearing  her son down.

“I agree and I understand, that this is no easy decision for you to make Levi, but remember you are not alone in this. Let’s have a look over it and contact your agent, he will know, what to do and how to take care of it.” Kuchel took the letter from Levi’s worrying hands and opened it swiftly, but carefully without wasting more time, before Levi would crumble the paper into dust. “Whatever it is, we will face the flood when it hits the shore.” Kuchel murmured, placing the paper on the desk, so both of them could read over it.

 

* * *

 

 

Dear Mr. Yeager,

 

Pursuant to New York law regulating legal guardianship of un-bonded omegas, as well as custodial guidelines for children of un-bonded omegas, a petition has been filed in the Erie County Family Court by:

 

        **Grisha and Carla Yeager**

  **Buffalo, New York**

 

The petition was filed under NY Pub Health § 6221-b and NY Family Ct Act §§ 548-a; 565; 569, which state, in summary, that omega children remain under the legal guardianship of their birth parents until such time as they become bonded to a mate, or guardianship is transferred to another responsible party by court order due to the death of the parents.  These sections also provide for determination of legal guardianship for any kid born to un-bonded omegas.

 

The petition requests that the court a) enforce the section of the law regarding legal guardianship of un-bonded omegas, by reinstating full guardianship of Eren Yeager to his parents Grisha and Carla Yeager; b) declare you legally incompetent to provide adequate care for you and your unborn kid based on the findings listed, and c) grant legal custody of said kid to Grisha and Carla Yeager upon its birth.

 

**Court Findings in Support of Guardianship Petition:**

 

  1. _You are currently an un-bonded omega, and no legal guardianship, other than your parents has ever been established, under the requirements of the State of New York,_



  1. _You are currently pregnant and the paternity of the unborn kid is unknown, i.e. there is no non-omega parentage for the unborn kid on file,_



  1. _You are financially unable to provide for proper pre-natal and post-natal care of your kid, for the following reasons_



_a) Your current employment status as a hockey player in the NHL is in question, due to your status as an un-bonded pregnant omega, and your ability to return to that profession, following the birth of your kid is doubtful,_  
  
_b) You never completed even a basic high school education, which puts your ability to obtain gainful employment outside of hockey in doubt, as well, thereby also hindering your ability to provide for yourself and your kid financially,_

 

_4\. You have in the past shown a propensity to mental instability and poor judgement, regarding your own personal well-being,_

  
_a) Running away from your parents, i.e. your legal guardians as a minor omega, when you were just thirteen years old_  
  
_b) Denying your legal guardians any type of contact, to which they are entitled to regardless of your age, while you are still an un-bonded omega,_

  1. _Your legal guardians learned of your current pregnancy via media coverage of a possible miscarriage, which was undoubtedly caused by your current living arrangements, providing additional evidence that as an un-bonded omega, you lack the ability to properly provide pre-natal care of your kid._



As your parents’ legal counsel, I feel that the above conditions are more than adequate for a finding in their favor by Family Court.  In anticipation of that, and to meet additional legal requirements for the eventual custodial status of your kid, you need to report to my office by March 27th . In addition, the court requires, that you bring the following documentation with you.

 

 

  * Official Permanent Residency Certificate – required of all un-bonded omegas
  * Official proof of your approved Maternity Leave Agreement with the Chicago Blackhawks
  * Maternity Passport and all other medical records, including proof that you have a current OB/GYN
  * All financial records, including proof of income and monthly expenses for the previous six months
  * A copy of your current contract with the Chicago Blackhawks



 

 

Respectfully,

 

**C. Springer, Esquire**

 

* * *

 

 

Levis face had turned red, while reading this unbelievable shameful piece of paper. There were so many lies within just one sentence, it send his blood boiling. He needed to calm down for Eren and his mom told him as much, as she hugged him close, murmuring soft French to him, as if Levi would still be her little 5 year old boy. It was a lot put on both of them at such a young age and breaking down didn’t mean they weren’t ready for it. kuchel was sure, Levi was more than ready to guide his own family, his leadership skills on the ice translated just as fine to off ice.

“It’ll be okay mon coeur. I know you are angry, but you need to calm down, so we can take care of this. You don’t want Eren to start worrying about why we hide out here so long, don’t you?”

“You’re right, maman. But seriously 5 days notice, that’s a fucking joke!” Levi  murmured, pulling himself together and grabbing the phone off the desk, to dial Keith’s number. He would take care of his family and they had an entire army fighting for them, there had to be a way to keep Eren with him.

Shadis was in a meeting, his secretary told him, as she answered the phone, but Levi, frankly just grunted at her, that it was do or die and he needed Keith right the fuck now. Kuchel tutted at him for his language, but he ignored it for the moment, still riled up from the piece of paper in his hand, he really wanted to rip into shreds.

The waiting seemed to take forever, when indeed it couldn’t have been more than 3 minutes, until he was on the phone to a slightly stressed sounding Keith Shadis.

Levi’s voice was still shaking, as he filled their agent in, on what was happening. He wasn’t prepared for the anger in his agent's voice upon hearing the news. Outraged didn’t even cover it. Keith hadn’t received any information about legal matters regarding Eren, or anything leading up to a possible court case. The attorney must have left him out on purpose it seemed, since it was Keith’s job to take care of all of Eren’s legal problems, as assigned to him in his contract, Eren and the Zacharias had drawn up, as they had taken to his service.

“Okay Levi, calm down I know you are pissed, don’t even ask me. Get me a copy of this offending paper over here asap, E-mail, fax I don’t care. I will hand it over to our legal department, have our lawyers on it. We’ll work this one out. I will call the Zacharias too, they might have some documents we will need in the future, or at least testimony about Eren’s guardianship, since he lived with them. Eren couldn’t have finished college without a guardian, so at least half of the court findings are bullshit. I will ask them to draw up papers in your favor, as his alpha too. But you know what that means?” Shadis asked.

“Yes, I know what that means Keith. It means I will need to claim Eren officially, which I would have done weeks ago! But it’s sort of complicated, when my mate is on bed rest and in danger of losing our kid, just because I couldn’t withhold my fucking temper. We are already looking for houses, I will hurry the process, as best as possible. Just gosh, make this load of shit go away! No one will get my family! No one will get my omega or my kid! IT’S MINE!” Levi seethed, even though it wasn’t Shadis fault at all.

“I know Levi, I’m on it. I promise. As soon as the papers are ready, I’ll take the next flight to Chicago and we will go through the rest. Thanks for letting me know. We’ve got this.”

They had hung up soon after and Levi was feeling at least a little better, knowing Shadis would set stuff into motion. He would help them with the Blackhawks, if Nile liked it or not and he was gearing up for them now as well. Levi had never been so glad to have picked Keith Shadis as his agent. His fingers were shaking, as he sent the fax through to Keith’s office and the alpha felt even more exhausted and tired once that was taken care off. Would the day finally give him a break for now?

Ever since finding out about Eren’s pregnancy, he felt he hadn’t had any time to bask in the joy, that came with founding your own family. Just a lot of people on his case, to make sure every minute was a horrific nightmare and pissing on his parade constantly.

“Come on, mon fils. Get on that couch to your omega and I will set up the kettle for some tea. Then you better go take a nap. I will handle the estate agent and look through the rest of his offers, the ones you haven’t been over yet.” Kuchel bossed him around and Levi had never been this glad before to have his mother stay over. He could use some guidance himself, after today's news, the ground he’d been walking on was swaying more than a sinking ship.

Eren didn’t ask much questions, when Levi finally joined him in the living room again, he was just glad that he could snuggle back up to his alpha and sniff him up and down, filling his nose with the thick maple scent of his mate. He shuffled the pillows aside and nestled against Levi to support his aching back. Levi was the best pillow anyway.

No words had made it out of the study and Levi’s secret was safe for the moment. Levi knew he would need to tell Eren, at least a rough draft about what was going on, it was about him after all. He would need him to sign papers too, but the amount of detail would be up to Levi to decide. How much he was willing to tell Eren about his parents attempts of pure distortion. He couldn’t even bring himself to call them Eren’s parents. He was so angry with the Yeager family, their value to him was as high as dirt stuck to the bottom of his shoes. He just hoped Faye wouldn’t call to tell Eren about his parents attempts to destroy their family, whether she had good intentions by letting him know or not.

Levi relaxed, while Eren told him all about the long shopping list he had already saved for the baby and stuff they would need, before their kid arrived. It warmed his heart to see Eren blooming with the planning of his perfect nest. Levi would buy him anything, even the stars, as long as it would make Eren’s eyes sparkle with happiness and he would never have to see the fear and sadness, like in that one night in the emergency room.

They had settled in the bedroom after tea, for proper nap time so Eren had room enough to stretch out on Levi’s king size bed and they both could catch some comfortable sleep.

“We can go look at some houses tomorrow if you feel like it.” Levi murmured sleepily into Eren’s neck, spooning his omega, one hand resting on his baby bump, that had become more prominent now, that the weeks progressed. It rumbled a bit, but nothing Levi worried about, since Eren had been complaining about feeling gassy for a while. Another of those things his mom deemed totally normal. Well Levi would deal with aching backs and sore ankles and even with a gassy Eren, as long as his pregnant omega was happy and preferably didn’t fart in Levi’s face. Not that Eren would actually do such a thing, but you could never know.

“I would love to look at houses Levi. As long as you can make it to Dr. Ral’s level 2 ultrasound appointment next week.” Eren yawned, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. Levi huffed behind him, before pressing a kiss to Eren’s temple.

“There’s no way I’m going to miss out on that. We’re having a homestretch right now, so we better use it. And if anything gets in the way, I will just say I’m sick. I’m sure shitty four eyes would play along.” Levi mumbled, hugging Eren even closer. He had marked the 24th March in red on his calendar, ever since Eren’s LMC had set up the date. It would be the day, they most likely would find out if it would be a girl or a boy, and Levi was as excited as Eren about that.

“Good.” Eren yawned, rubbing his hair up against Levi’s throat, as he settled to drift off, feeling protected from all evil in his alpha’s arms. Levi was the best and Eren was so glad to have him at his back. Pregnant or not, when he first started out for the Hawks, he would have never guessed what fate had at hand for them.

 

After breakfast the next day, they both met up with Ymir Fritz from Coldwell Banker Residential, one of Levi’s most trusted Real Estate agent’s. Eren was close to bouncing in his seat on their way over to Lincoln Park, to say he was overjoyed to get out of the house for once was an underestimation. He was looking out of the window of Levi’s Mercedes CL63 AMG, as if the roads they were passing were made of gold and the sky filled with rainbows. His excitement almost palpable, as Levi put the car in park in front of the address the retailer had texted him. It was a fabulous classic looking townhouse on a premier East Lincoln Park block, the front was open with windows on each floor. It was taller than anything Eren had seen before, bigger than the Zacharias home in Detroit and bigger than his Buffalo home for all he could remember. It was posh and modern and bordering on overwhelming. Ymir was waiting for them at the gate with a stoic smile on her face, as Levi helped Eren out of the car. The bump had thrown his balance off center and the shift upright and on the sidewalk made him a little dizzy, but Levi had a strong grip on his arm in support and Eren smiled, despite his discomfort, as they made their way over.

Levi looked a little stunned at the house in front of him and Eren couldn’t help but recoil a bit. He had a feeling of rejection he couldn’t really place. It was inviting, nothing bad but he still felt odd, looking at the house towering in front of them.

“Hello Mr. Ackerman. Mr. Yeager.” Ymir was polite and welcoming as well, as she lead the way into the 6,400 square feet monster of a home. “Let me give you a short run down before we take the tour. This place was built in 2001 with a 4-stop passenger elevator. It offers a perfect blend of transitional finishes, dramatic ceiling heights of 11+ on the main & bedroom levels and comes with a thoughtfully designed outdoor space. The finishes include designer window treatments, custom lighting, and hardwood floors. The magazine published Neff kitchen and the sophisticated den with en suite custom office are both highlights of this home. There are 5 large bedrooms including a spacious master suite, with dual closets and spa baths. Bonus rooms include a PH rec room with a wet bar, a gym and a catering kitchen. Ideal for entertaining, if you plan any gatherings. There is an outdoor kitchen by the family room, a garage top deck with pergola and fireplace, and a roof deck with skyline views. The attached 2+ car garage adjoins a mudroom and includes additional storage. Home automation features include a Sonos audio system, a lighting control system and a state of the art  security system to assure your family's safety.” She rants, while Eren and Levi take in the entry way with a huge staircase, leading to the upper levels and the double doors to their right leading to a small office and a gym, as well as a door down the hallway ending in said mudroom and garage Ymir had mentioned.

“The fun starts upstairs to keep your privacy.” She smiled, as she leads the way. Eren flinches at all the steps of the staircase and frowns, covering his belly protectively, as Levi helped him climb to the next floor.

Didn’t she say that house came with an elevator? There was no way he was walking 4 floors on this staircase of hell and there was no safety whatsoever for their child.

Levi was shooting daggers at her back too as she walked on. Eren was panting by the time they reached the next landing, that opened to a cozy living room area with a fireplace. It was all flooded with light from the huge windows, the walls painted in a light grey with an open dining area. The furniture on point and modern looking, but also really clean and impersonal. Ymir showed them the huge wooden kitchen, with all it’s magazine glory, but it didn’t really make up for having Eren lean against Levi just from a flight of stairs. He already was looking tired and annoyed, his gaze only scanning the room briefly, not really registering. All the mirrors in the hallway and placed on several walls, didn’t help him to feel any more warmed up to this house. It was too bright. Not that Eren wanted to live in a basement or gloomy little place stacked to the ceiling with unknown shadows, but in comparison to his apartment this was more than just a shock. All this open place just on one floor, separating every area from the other. They would need a phone to find each other and the kids, if they ever were in separate rooms of the house, or shout so loud, it would anger the neighbours.

“Your guestrooms are on the next level and the master suite, as well as the other 3 bedrooms are on the top floor.” Ymir explained returning to the staircase.

“Well Ymir, that sounds like it makes for a great view, but I think we are having a little trouble keeping up with all the stairs.” Levi tried to interfere politely, which only earns him a blank stare from the estate agent. It made Levi angry, to see the beta so ignorant towards his mate and his irritation was obvious enough, but to no avail it seemed, since Ymir just brushed him off with a short. “The elevator is currently out of service Mr. Ackermann.” Eren looked at Levi, as if he was in pain. He wasn’t really keen on exploring the rest of the house, Levi could tell and he remembered Dr. Ral’s advice not to overdo exercise and 4 sets of stairs was a little much exercise for Eren, after being on bedrest for so long. They wanted to look at some houses today, not walk through a fucking mall. Even Levi couldn’t deny his doubts, that this place was high class and big, but not really made for a family with kids.

“I’m afraid, then we need to cancel this tour, because the stairs wouldn’t be good for my pregnant mate.” Levi replied, all alpha and challenging her to get back at him. The side note obviously enlightened her blinded eyes, as she gasped and quickly apologized to Eren, for not noticing sooner. He just shrugs his shoulders in response, eying the stairs that lead down. He really wanted to get out of this upper class place. This couldn’t be a home for his family and Ymir must be a pretty dense person to not notice his protruding belly.

“Ymir, if you don’t mind I think we would like to look at something smaller, 4 bedrooms but not bigger.” Levi tells her, while Eren regained enough breath to feel ready to tackle the stairs.

“Smaller, you say. Well I have another object in the adjoining street that might meet your standards. It’s not as high class as this, but we could look at it, if you want to.” she offers, as Levi helps Eren downstairs.

“We would love to.” Levi replied, as he opened the car, to let Eren take a seat and grab a few mouthfuls of the water bottle, they had stored there.

“The address is  356 N Janssen Avenue. I will meet you there.” she nods in the direction of her car and takes off.

“How are you feeling, mon cher?” Levi asked, as he got into the driver's side.

“Exhausted, but I hope the next house is better. I mean seriously Levi, so many fucking stairs.” Eren complained, rubbing his feet one over the other.

“I know, your ankles must be sore already. I’m sorry I didn’t know she would be this ignorant.”

“Don’t you think this was more of a show off house for singles or couples without kids? I mean it was big, but it felt too big and not safe for kids." Eren murmured, rubbing his eyes and closing the car door, so Levi could follow the direction of their GPS to the new address.

“Yes Eren, I felt the same. It was almost too clean and impersonal. It was a little frightening.”

“I think, as long as we have room for our bed, the nursery and a guest room for family, we should be fine, eh?” Eren joked, watching Levi drive.

“Yeah brat, we will be fine, as long as we are together.” Levi smiled, patting Eren’s hand, as they pull up in front of what looks like the little American dream, in the one way tree lined street. The 2 story house was covered in pale grey wooden panels with white window frames, a dark grey entrance door with a few steps up and a little patch of garden right in front. Levi had chosen Lincoln Park, because the UC wouldn’t be too far away and the schools in this district were better than average. Ymir got out of her car upon seeing them, gesturing at the house with the same smile she had, just a few minutes ago at the other property.

“So this might fit you better, it was built in october last year and offers 4,000 square feet for your family. We have a heated garage on site with space for 2 cars. We still have stairs, but not as much obviously, so take your time.” Levi nods at that, following her up to the entrance with Eren at his arm.

“What does your feeling say?” Levi murmured, as they take step by step and Eren practically beams at him, teal eyes bright.

“It says, this could be a possible home.” he pants back, as Ymir unlocks the door, stepping inside and waits for them.

“So this property has its own perks. One of those is, that the furniture you’ll see is just temporary, so you can be free to decorate it all on your own and the house is built after a spacious floor plan. To start with, we have radiant heat on the lower level, and 2 separate heating systems in the house with individual heating controls. So in general it’s zoned heating and forced air heating running on gas. But we don’t want you to get too hot in the summer, so it comes with central air conditioning. Well this is the main level, The entire main and upper level have hardwood flooring. Here we have the 18x12 living room to your right side combined with a 18x11 dining room.” She steps into the free room with Levi and Eren following, taking in the small, but cozy area with a fireplace big enough for their couch, or well if Eren was asked, Levi’s couch. He could already imagine his favourite piece of furniture placed right under the huge 3 windows. The room opened towards the dining area in a straight line, another window offering more light and space for at least a table 8 people could sit at.

“Both fireplaces are wood burning with gas starters, the other one is in the adjacent open family room on the other side. The family room has a size of 18x18 and comes with custom built-ins providing a perfect entertaining space. It’s currently unfurnished, but I’m sure you guys can help with that.” Ymir smiled.

“Eren imagine my couch right here in the middle.” Levi murmured softly, as they gaze at the open place in front of them with the modern white cabinets.

“I already imagined your couch in the living room right under the window, moron.” Eren retorted, as he takes in the white crisp walls.

“Of course you are free to repaint in whatever color you prefer, if you decide to buy it.” Ymir offered, as she lead the way to the kitchen.

“Your amazing custom chef's kitchen comes in 18x18 with a large eating area and a built in banquette. You got a breakfast bar and additional table space. We covered you with professional grade SS all stainless steel kitchen appliances, an oversized island, quartzite counters A butler's pantry, as well as a walk-in and a closet pantry offer all the storage you might need. Among those things, we have you set up with a double oven, an oven/range, a microwave, and the usual stuff you need like a disposal, a dishwasher, the high end refrigerator over here, a separate  wine cooler in your dining area and a separate bar refrigerator in the family room.”

“I think I like it.” Levi uttered, as they walk back into the hallway and down to the stairs leading up to the second floor.

“The kitchen is not too huge, but really nice set up.” Eren murmured, as he waddled aside Levi.

“On the main floor we only have one room left.” Ymir announces opening another door. “This is the mud room, porcelain tiled on 14x6, it leads to the rear heated snowmelt brick paver patio with a wood burning fireplace, that invites for barbecues in summer and your garage.” she smiled, having noticed the way Levi’s face had turned really smug, at the mention of not slipping up in winter on the iced walk to his car.

“So I assume the bedrooms are upstairs?” Levi asked.

“The main bedrooms are on the upper floor, but you also got a full finished basement. The entire basement comes with carpet flooring and 2 bedrooms with 2 ½ baths, both are 13x11 in size and can be used as guest rooms, or you could turn one into a gym if you like. There’s also a smaller room that can be used as a study, or office and another one, that can be turned into a storage room. The basement is also set up with a rec room with a wet bar, ” Ymir explained, waiting for them to take a step forward indicating, whether or not they wanted to explore the basement.

“Do you want to have a look Eren or do you want to go upstairs?” Levi asked, holding Eren’s hand lightly, feeling his omega squeeze back, touched that his alpha was looking out for him.

“I think we can take Ymir’s word for granted and rather go upstairs.” Eren replied a little sheepishly.

“Of course, mon cher. No problem. I’m sure the guestrooms are in good condition.” Levi assured him, glancing at Ymir, who nods vigorously.

They take their time to make it up the stairs and Eren is tired, but as soon as they enter the hallway upstairs, he’s almost breathless. The staircase wasn’t as huge as the other one, but it took its tool nevertheless. Ymir hurriedly brings over a chair for him, before they take a small break, making idle small talk.

“You can tell us a bit about the upper floor, while Eren rests.” Levi offered, rubbing the omega’s sore back and eyeing him with concern, but Eren gives him a thumbs up and a crooked smile, so Levi knows it’s okay.

“Okay. Are you sure you are feeling alright?” She checked once more.

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry.” Eren reassured her, leaning into Levi, as he listened to her talk.

“Okay. So as I said earlier, the entire upper floor is laid out with hardwood flooring, except for the bathrooms. Upstairs offers 3 bedrooms with 3 en-suite full baths and a laundry including a washer and a dryer. Your luxurious master suite comes sized 18x14 and with vaulted cathedral ceilings, a marble bath and two walk in closets. The other bedrooms are 14x11 and 13x12. Your master bedroom's en suite and the en suite of the bigger bedroom, has a bathtub and a shower, while the other remaining one, only offers a spacious shower.

“That’s not a problem, but a bathtub sounds amazing right now.” Eren joked, as he slowly gets back to his feet to have a look at the rooms Ymir told them about. The master suite really takes his breath away, with the huge windows covering most of one side, with lake view and the vaulted ceiling. A king size bed sits in the middle of the room, but Ymir told them, that most of the displayed furniture will be gone, if they move in, unless they want to keep it. Which no! Eren wants his own nest, with his own furniture and he wants to decorate and built their home with Levi, not some role model catalogue shit, some designer had come up with - thank you very much.

The bigger bedroom has a window facing their garden and away from the street and Eren can’t help, but be awed by it. It’s the perfect nursery, right opposite the master suite and close by, so if anything would happen, Eren could be there in a heartbeat, to chase the monsters away from under the bed. Levi doesn’t miss out on Eren’s lingering gaze, as he stood in the middle of the room, looking around himself in awe, with a hand on his baby bum, stroking soft unknown patterns. Ymir gifts them a moment to themselves.

“You’re feeling good?” Levi murmured, hugging Eren to his chest, as their fingers entwine.

“Beautiful, it’s just so beautiful Levi.” Eren murmured a little thickly. Levi can see the tears gathering in his omega’s eyes and wipes them away softly. He’s touched himself, that Eren had obviously already fallen in love with the house. “This would be such a perfect nursery. You know, it’s not cramped up here, but it’s not so lost and lonely like the other house. It’s just perfect. Have you seen the garden?” Eren tugs him forward, over to the window, both looking out on the garage and the garden.

“We could place a swing set and a sandbox right over there.” Levi whispered against Eren’s ear smiling and follows the way Eren’s eyes light up at that. “We have enough room, for when our parents are over and we have free range in furniture and painting the walls.”

“We have enough space for both our couches.” Eren laughed, as he presses his face into Levi’s shoulder.

“So what do you think, brat?”

“Depends on how expensive it will be.” Eren replied a little beat down.

“Price doesn’t matter, money is not an issue, so what do you think, mon cher?”

“I love it. I would take it right away.” he smiled.

“Then that is that.” Levi finishes, feeling Eren’s belly rumble a bit under his hand. “You’re feeling gassy again, eh.” he asks with a soft smile.

“No, like wow.” Eren is looking at him wide eyed, the grip on Levi’s hand not giving an inch, as his eyes fill with tears.

“Eren, what is it? Does it hurt? Oh my god what’s wrong? Tell me what’s wrong?!” Levi urges, panic rising inside of him.

“Did… did you feel that too?” Eren asked still stunned.

“Yes I did. Are you in any pain? Do you wanna sit down?”

“No, no Levi. Shhh. Wait.” they both stand there in silence, as it happens again, the softest of rumbles. “It… it kicked.” Eren beamed.

“It.. it kicked? Are you serious?” Levi asked baffled.

“Yes I could feel our baby move, Levi.” Eren is full out crying into his alpha’s shoulder by now, with how happy he feels and Levi has a few tears himself.

“So baby, do you like the house, should we get it?” Levi asked, stroking Eren’s belly softly, waiting to be nudged again. His kid goes commando and kicks as if it would say: "Yes you idiot ! Go put in an offer right the fuck now!”

Ymir Fritz choose that moment to enter the bedroom, frowning at the both of them visible teared up.

“Is everything alright?” she hedged.

“Everything’s great.” Levi smiled. “We actually would like to put in an offer. We really would like to buy this house.” Levi told her, voice thick with how proud he is right at that moment.

“Of course. I can draw up the papers today and we could close the deal at the end of the week. How does that sound?” Ymir asked, business as usual but also happy, that they both enjoyed this house much more, than the other one, were she obviously went a little too much out of the window. High profile clients or not.

“Perfect.” Levi and Eren say in unison, laughing as it echoes around their soon to be nursery.

They part ways with Ymir Fritz shortly after and Levi drove them back home to their condos, to spend the evening with Kuchel, who had been genuinely happy for the both of them. She’s leaving at the end of the week for Winnipeg, but that doesn’t tamper their mood down. Eren’s feet are swollen and sore and his back is actually killing him, from having done nothing but walk evil stairs that day, but Levi takes his whining like a champ and just kisses it away, draws his omega a bath, massaging Eren’s feet and helping him to some of his favourite ice cream and an extra helping of dinner, even though they had ignored their - or at least Levi’s diet- earlier on, by having lunch at Taco Bell. But Levi wouldn’t deny Eren anything, as long as he was content and happy. He never stopped touching his belly for more than 5 minutes, after the first kick either and his eyes gleam with pride, when he tells Kuchel about it, who just coos at Eren’s baby bump in happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of hope when I finally made it through writing this, seeing a push forward, development. Now I'm just feeling drained. Full of doubts and bursting with how much it seems to not be good enough. How much I must be boring ppl to death.


	21. It's a...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long tearful battle to write this, a hard triggering road because I don't really enjoy writing sex, even though I love reading it. Two pair of weird shoes right there. I think this is a good start for my next project, because I decided I will tackle this by writing excessive porn. I must really hate myself. I’m ready for a challenge, because I just finished this edit, so in case I need to repeat myself. This fic is now officially FINISHED!!! I just need to post the rest. :) once a week as usual. But I might need to go into surgery tmrw so I'm posting today, in case I'm out sick.

Eren was clutching Levi’s hand tightly, as they entered Dr. Ral’s office for the level 2 ultrasound appointment. His heart was beating up in his throat with nerves, his palm sweaty against Levi’s colder one. His alpha was all collected, but just as excited. Today he would see his kid for the first time. Today they would find out, if their family would be extended by a boy or a girl. Not that it mattered much to Levi either way, as long as their kid would be strong and healthy. It was theirs. They made it, it would be the best anyway, with their both genes combined. He was not god, but damn did he feel like it. It was a pretty close call, if you would have asked him.

Levi helped Eren to sit down on the examination table, observed the nurse, as she went about her normal routine, taking the omega’s blood pressure and drawing a few blood samples, before leaving the room and rushing off to the lab with it, to get it tested. Eren couldn’t stop bouncing his leg with the pent up energy and Levi’s hand on his thigh did little to make him stop the movement, as annoying as it probably was.

“It’s going to be okay, Eren. You’re doing so good. Being so good for our kid.” Levi soothed, nosing along Eren’s throat, his scruff tickling the sensitive skin. Eren made a whiney sound, hiding his face into his alpha’s neck. He loved it when Levi praised him, loved to have him close by, but they hadn’t actually shared anything except kisses and cuddles, since he got pregnant. Levi hadn’t claimed him yet and his hormones were all over the place. A hard on, on top of all was no help, even though he wore one of Levi’s larger soft sweatpants, that could contain his already showing bump, without digging too much into his hip bones or the pants ending up rushing to his feet with every move. He was about to see his doctor, arousal didn’t actually fit into the proceedings, knowing there was a chance, she would brush against it, while moving the wand around during the ultrasound.

He had struggled with rushes of arousal for the past few weeks now, they almost felt a bit like another heat and there was little he could do about it, since he was either in pain or too scared to take care of things after the hospital, other than to just sit it out. He didn’t dare to ask Levi for help, since his alpha hadn’t made any move in the direction at all. Did Levi even want him like that? Was he just looking out for the kid Eren was carrying?

The doubt kept him awake at night sometimes, especially when Levi was gone for games.

“Levi don’t!” Eren protested, wiggling a little next to him and thinking unsexy thoughts to will his body to cooperate. Levi just smiled at him, his hand softly petting the side of the little bump Eren was hiding away, in one of his old well worn Sioux shirts. It was a little tight around his middle, but loose enough for Eren’s liking.

“Sorry Eren. I just can’t help it. You look so tempting in my clothes.” he laughed.

“You’re such a dick! You know, I don’t want to wear those ugly maternity pants Faye mailed me. They are pink, Levi! PINK! With Snoopy on them!”

“I know Eren. Batman would have been so much cooler.” Levi sniggered, as Dr. Ral entered the room, greeting them cheerily.

Eren felt the tension in the room ease, as she took a seat on her swivel chair and rolled over to him.

“So how have you been doing lately Eren?” Dr. Ral asked, they had dropped the Mr. Yeager some time earlier this month, because it made Eren feel awkward and well, waking her up in the middle of the fucking night had been kind of a personal thing, if you asked him. Doctor or not, if his house was not on fire, he would never just get out of bed at the ass crack of dawn for one of the many many faces he saw on the job each day. But that was just him.

“Better, the nausea has eased, it’s not entirely gone, but not as annoying as it used to be. I barely throw up at all. I just get dizzy sometimes. Levi and I have been house hunting and I needed to sit down after a flight of stairs, because it was so exhausting. I feel like my back and feet hurt all the time.” Eren recalled for her, telling her all about the house they had picked out. She smiled gently at that, it wasn’t all new information, since Eren’s LMC had already filled her in about their latest meeting with him.

“Anything else? Bleeding gums, increased appetite or something unusual?”

“No bleeding gums, urgh.” Eren shuddered at the thought of that. “But yeah I’m kinda hungry all the time.” Eren smirked, feeling Levi laugh next to him.

“Oh don’t you laugh you asshole.” he chided.

“I’m not. I’m just thinking about your love for Ben and Jerry's lately, especially late at night.” Levi mused, making Dr. Ral laugh too.

“Well that’s a good thing. You lost a lot of weight, no wonder the baby is claiming it back. Just try to keep it balanced for your own sake. Sugar rushes are good, but can make you feel depressed, once it’s crashing.” Eren nodded at that, he had already experienced that - thank you very much for the late advice, someone should have told him sooner.

“And I felt the baby kick.” Eren beamed, as he recalled that for her.

“Oh that’s nice, so you are past the gas and bloating.” she laughed.

“Not entirely, but yeah it was confusing. But it was such an amazing feeling.” Eren told her, the enthusiasm filling his voice, made Levi smile with pride.

“So let’s take a look at the little one, should we.” she suggested. Eren moved further up the exam table and reclined, while Levi took the chair to the side, as the doctor turned the lights lower and started the machine. The humming noise was making Eren anxious, but it also had a sort of calming effect, knowing he would see his kid soon. He pulled his sweats a little lower, fastening the paper towel Dr. Ral handed him, as she squeezed the cold gel onto his exposed belly and started to move around, explaining what she would do.

“We’re going to measured your kid from crown to rump, around the middle, around the head - and that's just for starters. We’ll take a look at the four chambers of the heart, as well as the kidneys, bladder, stomach, brain, spine and sex organs. There’s a good chance we find out the gender of your kid today, just tell me beforehand if you don’t want to know. A survey of the organs, including the umbilical cord, ensures that your kid is developing normally and to identify any potential problems, as soon as possible. I will also be looking at your amniotic fluid levels, the location of your placenta, and the fetal heart rate. And while we are at it, we make sure that the tissue tear hasn’t gotten worse. But I see you’re progressing good, you already gathered a few tiny stretch marks, it’s nothing bad and they are not huge or very much noticeable. They might expand as your body adjust to your baby bump, but once your kid is born, they will fade. So look who we have here.” Dr. Ral froze the screen, clicking away as she took her measurements.

“It’s beautiful.” Levi whispered, seeing his kid for the very first time, unless you count the sonography of the little blob Eren had shown him. Eren felt overwhelmed as well, but he was also a little annoyed for Dr. Ral pointing out the stretch marks, he wasn’t sure how he felt about them yet. On the one hand they showed he was carrying Levi’s and his kid, on the other hand they were a reminder of how his body would be ruined after the pregnancy.

“That’s your kid, daddies, a little shy, but enough for now to take all the necessary measurements. It scores 9 and half inches long switching from crown-to-rump to crown-to-heel length. A little on the small side, like a little carrot we have here. It should be between 10 and a half to 11 inches, since you are closing in on the 22nd week mark. But that’s okay, given the tough start you had and with everything that happened.” She didn’t address his miscarriage directly, mostly because she didn’t want to upset Eren, but also to keep him happy and relaxed and not tensing up on the exam table, since this would make the ultrasound so much harder, if he started to close in on himself. But also because she wanted to be gentle, not knowing how they both had processed the latest happenings yet.

“According to the numbers your little one at least scores a hattrick on the weight, weighing in on 12 ounces, next week it can go up to cross the one pound mark, which will be a milestone all in itself. Just remember how heavy that is, the next time you take a trip to the grocery store. Hold a one-pound bag of sugar in your arms and expect people to ask you why you're grinning from ear to ear, because that’s what your kid will be by then.”

They both laughed at that, trying to imagine the scene. Levi knew the second Dr. Ral had made the joke, that Eren would so be doing this and he would so record this on his phone to sent to his mom. It also helped to keep the mood happy and not heavy. The kid kicked on screen and Eren smiled as he felt it move. Their little one obviously wasn’t too happy with the press of the wand to his home. Levi’s face was pure fascination, as he watched the screen and his kid moving  around. They mostly got a good view of it’s back and butt, since it obviously wasn’t too keen on being seen, still shy.

“But don’t worry your developing kid still has a great deal of room in your womb - though like anyone who lives in one space for a long time, this tenant will soon begin to feel cramped. Until those uterine walls start closing in, however, there's plenty of space for twisting, turning and even an occasional somersault.” she went on, as she moved the wand around.

“So that's what I’ve been feeling last night!” Eren exclaimed, looking down at his exposed belly in wonder. “Are you practicing for the Olympics, eh?” he joked, fingers resting on the upper curve of his little bump.

“I know with all that belly dancing going on, it's hard to believe your kid is getting any shut-eye at all. But believe it or not, your fetus sleeps as much as a newborn.”

If only he would get some sleep, Eren thought a little bitterly.

“Your kid’s getting coordinated. It’s pretty much able to choreograph Matrix-like moves by now. Arms and legs are finally in proportion, the neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles and cartilage throughout the body is turning to bone. All these upgrades combine to give your kid more control over limb movements, which explains all that kicking , stretching and bodysurfing or rather bellysurfing you may have started feeling.”

“Bellysurfing sounds neat. Our kid will surf at lake you in the future.”  Eren smiled and mocking Levi all the same.

Getting everything explained in detail put his nerves at ease and made it even more real, but it was scary all the same.

“The organs are all looking well developed, so far nothing to be worried about. The umbilical cord is alright and everything else too. There is no sign indicating any heart problems or similar.” Dr. Ral went on, pressing a few buttons, before their kid’s heartbeat filled the room, with a steady sound. It echoed slightly in the semi darkness and made Eren’s eyes well up with tears, but Levi wasn’t far behind, both clutching each other's hand, as they listened to the steady reassuring sound.

This was THEIR kid!

“Sounds perfectly strong and healthy. No abnormalities. The tissue tear is still the same, no worsening of the condition or any indication that it bothers your kid at all. So that’s really good news. I’m confident it will stay like that and that you can carry your kid to the end. No need to be angsty or worried about it. We’ll have a good eye on it, every time you come back for a check in. We’ll monitor it closely.” she reassured them, knowing that repeating this might hurt a little, but was necessary to keep their mind from going stir crazy with the possibilities of what if not. She handed Eren another paper towel to dry his eyes to keep him from littering his paper gown with snot and tears.

From the images she had on her screen, the other twin must have died really early, as they already suspected at the hospital, there was no other visible fetus or remaining tissue, other than the small detached tear they had seen, when Eren had been brought into the emergency room a few weeks earlier. There was no indication or symptoms of inflammation or any signs, that it caused him a great deal of unease, the kid might be a little on the small side, but that was not too concerning. Dr. Ral moved the wand around looking at his amniotic fluid levels, that were okay and perfect.

“We were speaking of carrots Eren, if you eat one this week, there's a good chance your baby will taste it too. That's because your kid swallows a bit of amniotic fluid each day - not only for nutrition and hydration, but also to practice swallowing and digesting, skills your kid will need as soon as it arrives in your arms. And keep this in mind: The taste of the amniotic fluid differs from day to day depending on what you've eaten. Spicy enchilada one day, sweet banana the next. That smorgasbord of flavors won't be lost on your baby, since your little one has very developed taste buds already. In fact, researchers have noted that kids, who were exposed to certain tastes in utero via the amniotic fluid, were more eager to eat foods with those same tastes after birth. Want your peanut to eat their broccoli later? You better eat yours now.” she explained with a laugh.

“Wow.” Eren was lost for words. This was actually really interesting to him, but Levi’s face went through a lot of expressions, during Dr. Ral’s explanation.

“No Levi, our kid won’t grow up a kale addict!” Eren muttered, squeezing his alpha’s hand for emphasis.

“Smart ass.” Levi sniggered, nudging the brat’s elbow with his own. As if Eren was eating a lot of kale nowadays or actually ever had. He hated it and Levi had found out soon enough, as he witnessed Eren painting their toilet bowl green right after.

“Kale is not too bad, but your diet shouldn’t be taken too serious right now, because your kid  needs all the nutrition it can get to keep growing. So don’t hold back on anything. If you want bread sticks and Oreo’s at 3 a.m happily go for it. Your kid will thank you later, believe me.”

“I told you.” Eren smiled in triumph, doing a little fist bump at the forecast of torturing Levi in the middle of the night with cravings.

“So what’s happening next?” Levi asked curiously.

“Your kid’s grip, vision and hearing will be getting stronger. By this time next week, your sweetie is making more sense of the world, as it develops its sense of touch. In fact, your little one's grip is quite strong now, and since there's nothing else to grab in utero, they may sometimes hold on tight to that umbilical cord, but don't worry - it's tough enough to handle it. See no little hand prints left.” she froze the screen to show Levi and Eren, before unfreezing it and continuing. “The sense of sight is also becoming more fine-tuned. Your fetus will perceive light and dark much better than before, even with those fused eyelids. But remember unless you're shining a flashlight over your belly, which you can do, by the way, it'll be mostly dark for your kid inside that cozy womb of yours. The little one will also be able to hear your voice, your heartbeat, your gurgling stomach and the whoosh-whoosh of blood circulating through your body.” Dr. Ral told them, smiling all the while, as she tried to coax the kid into a position, that would allow her to take a look at the gender.

“Oh my fucking god. That’s ace!” Eren sniffled still overcome by emotions.

“So you better start watching your language, he can actually hear you.” Levi  teased.

“Yada yada you french freak. Our kid won’t know who you are once it’s born and hears you talk in English. Because believe me Levi you sound so much different. Also what makes you so sure it’s going to be a boy Mr. Overachiever?”

“I will keep this in mind Mr. potty mouth.” Levi didn’t take any offence, just brushed his thumb over his omega’s knuckles, a soft smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

“Well gentleman, I think I can help with answering that at least.” Petra said, amused about their banter. They both looked back to her guiltily, after having been absorbed in each other for the moment, eyes wandering back over to the monitor. God help their competitiveness. Eren flinched with the feeling of the kick their kid gave him, as if to say: Pay fucking attention!

“So do you want to know?” she asked to make sure, she wouldn’t give anything away in case they changed their minds.

“YES!!!” Eren and Levi replied in unison. She laughed at that and moved the wand a little to the left, counting that the kid would turn a little with the movement. At first it didn't work, but the angle was good enough to show the kids face for the first time, eyelids still shut but nevertheless breathtaking.

“Could you take a picture at this angle?” Eren asked shyly, fascinated with the little face on the screen.

“No problem at all.” she said, pressing a few buttons, before nudging the same spot with the wand again. This time their kid granted them a good look at the crown jewels.

“Well congrats you both. There is no doubt that you’re carrying a little healthy boy. He’s a bit shy, but I annoyed him long enough, that he gave up hiding.” Dr. Ral laughed, as she froze the display on the latest body image, little face and all, before cleaning and putting the wand away, handing Eren a few paper towels to clean the gel from his stomach and allowing him to dress back up.

When they both had taken a seat at her desk, still grinning like crazy with pride, she went over the latest test results, noting that Eren’s blood pressure was a little higher than usual, but not too concerning as of yet. If they kept an eye on it, it should be fine without putting him on more meds.

“So your LMC will watch out and refer you back to my office in case your blood pressure elevates even more. You know the usual protocol. If you feel uneasy, discomfort or experience any other symptoms that concern you, apart from the regular alarm signals that should make you go to the next hospital, let me know and we’ll deal with it. Do you have any other questions so far? Anything else you want to discuss?” Petra asked, looking up and tugging a stray hair back into her bun. Eren blushed heavily at the attention, trying to come up with a way to ask for what he was impatiently wanting to know, without putting Levi in an awkward position. She smiled knowingly at him, while Levi was piercing his shoes with his glare, trying to hide the way he was blushing himself.

“Well if you worry about getting intimate again. There’s nothing stopping you. By how far along you are Eren, I wouldn’t be surprised, if you feel a little riled up lately, like another heat is coming. It’s pretty common at this point of male pregnancies. Take it easy and roll with everything that feels right and you are safe. So yes you can put a final claiming mark on your omega.” Dr. Ral said, waiting for Levi to meet her eyes, who looked a little shocked and dazed from her direct approach to the subject, spluttering to come up with a reply, while Eren coughed a little to cover his own surprise.

“Sounds good.” Levi finally finds his words, replying slowly but at the same time his voice seems to come from a distance, like he isn't sure that’s what he actually wants.

“Well in this case, out of my office and finally do what you are both craving to do ever since, will you? Have fun doing the deed.” Dr. Ral cackled, watching them blush again, before rushing to their feet and out the door with second hand embarrassment.

Hopefully the little kick in the right direction was enough to make them bond probably. Deep in her heart Dr. Ral was still a little traditional after all. Also kids of bonded pairs were scientifically proven to have an easier birth, than those of unbonded omega’s and dear god Eren really needed all the support he could get. The media coverage hadn’t gone unnoticed by her. She was hoping, he would get through the next months without risking his pregnancy, giving the pressure he was under and the attention to his persona in general. She always had the best interests of her patient at heart.

Eren was literally bouncing with every step to the car, his pent up energy just mounting, by the implied possible outcome, now that the coast was clear. Even though he didn’t know, if Levi actually wanted to bond him. But even if not, he was so going to get dick tonight. He deserved dick tonight.

Period!

Hell, he would even settle to wank one out in the shower, as long as he could get the edge of. Therefore, he was a little preoccupied on their ride home, mind spinning possibilities of how he wanted to get laid.

As they made it to their condo, Eren’s feet were already hurting again, so he waltzed over to the living room without preamble and fell into an ungraceful heap down on Levi’s couch, lifting his feet up to get the kinks out and stretching enticingly slowly, with his shirt riding up exposing his belly. He was supposed to rest a lot anyway. Levi’s maple scent was literally everywhere around him and he basked in the feeling of home and safe it gave him. Levi had abandoned his car keys in the bowl on his hallway dresser, where he always put them, kicking off his shoes and hanging up his coat, before following Eren into the living room. The air was thick with the rich apple cake smell Levi had grown used to. He loved his scent, like Eren loved his mint chocolate ice cream after dinner. His omega always so teeth breakingly sweet, helping him cool down on days, that were just too much to take. Eren, whose scent came in a bunch of different flavors as well - a rich variety ranging from anger like hot coals and ash to utter sadness like a thunderstorm, a soft summer breeze when he shared advice and the soft flower note of charm that surprised Levi each time all over again. Every time he sniffs and discovers a new flavor of his omega, is like a punch to the solar plexus and it warms the alpha’s heart.

The rich apple cake scent something, that seemed to gain intensity with every day of Eren’s pregnancy, something that was just Eren, meaning he was content and happy and most of all HIS!

Levi couldn’t help the possessive growl coming from deep within his chest, rumbling in the silence around them.

The brat was his and the way he was stretched out on the couch made Levi mad with desire. He wanted to claim him so badly it hurt.

NO ONE SHOULD EVER DOUBT WHO EREN YEAGER BELONGED TO!

The omega blinked up at him innocently, smirk hidden just slightly visible in the way his dimple started showing. He bared his throat to his alpha and Levi just snapped.

Within seconds he had jumped over and up on the couch, settling on Eren’s spread thighs, caging him in with his own, lips nozzing along the omega’s neck, scraping his teeth lightly over the tendons there, before kissing up his jaw and sealing their mouths together.

He tried to pull away from those plush sinful lips, to get the rut he felt coming on under control and the brunette whimpered and tried to snuggle closer. Levi’s heart traitorously warmed at the action. God he loved Eren so much already, would take on the world for him.

“Levi!!!” Eren almost wailed in his mouth with how hot he felt, sinking his teeth into the alpha’s lower lip, as he tried to lift his hips up from the couch. He had been so good lately, was so deserving this, he so needed this. Levi had to give it to him. Eren had been waiting for it so long, Levi needed to know, he must have known how much it took Eren to keep his desire to himself.

“I’ve got you mon cher, I’ve got you. MINE!” Levi growled, grinding his hips down into the V of Eren’s hips.

“Yours’ All yours. Always. Make me… make me all yours!” Eren literally begged between kisses, feeling Levi’s hand settling into his neck with a firm but not hurtful grip, dragging Eren’s head up from the throw pillow to mash their mouths together. Hungry in a way he hasn’t felt like for a long while.

“Going to make you all mine. All mine Eren.” Levi promised. The couch wasn’t the most beautiful place in the world but fuck that! His alpha senses had been on high alert for what feels like forever and he couldn’t wait long enough to take this show to the bedroom. Eren was all flushed and hot hard pressing up against him, mouth open wide and gasping, begging for his touch, anything, literally anything at all.

They were wearing way too much clothing for Levi’s liking so he just dragged Eren’s shirt higher and up over his head, discarding it to the floor somewhere near them, without watching where it landed, before his hands roamed freely down to do the same to his sweats and boxers alike.

“Levi!” Eren panted, eyes demanding. He was content to be naked, but to make it work Levi was still dressed, which no fucking way, would never work. Eren started clawing his way up Levi’s back, rucking the alpha’s shirt up as he went, before getting it tangled in the attempt to lift it over Levi’s head, restricting his hands in the process. The growl echoing in their living room was impatience at its best, as Levi hurried to get his own shirt off, lifting up a little to not be crushing Eren, as he struggled out of his pants. The feeling of their skin finally touching was sending electric little shocks all down Eren’s spine, making him moan out loud and grabbing for Levi’s hair, before he attacked the alpha’s mouth hungrily again. Their bodies rubbing up against each other, sweat making it an easier slide.

“Want you so bad.” Eren groaned with his eyes closed. He really needed to come, like yesterday if possible. He could feel the slick trickling down his thighs, making him squirm, more firmly planting his body within Levi’s reach as he did. He felt on fire from the inside out, not as intense, as he had felt while in heat, but it was a close call. All he cared about at that moment was to get on Levi’s dick. To get his alpha’s knot filling him up to the brim, making his eyes cross and lose his mind. That’s literally all he wanted.

Levi knocked his knee against the coffee table, hissing as he tried to get better leverage of the omega’s almost seizing body in his arms. The friction against his dick deliciously evil and promising. But he soon figured, that there wasn’t enough room on that damn couch and he wouldn’t bend Eren over it, putting stress on his pregnant body that they didn’t need to.

“Move your legs Eren. hold on to my waist, mon cher.” Levi almost ordered him, as he raised the smaller omega off the couch and carried him over to their bedroom in wide broad strides. Eren’s ass brushing against his crotch teasingly as he went, before laying him back down on their soft mattress and covering the body with his own as he bent over, arms moving the comforter out of the way, leaving a scratching sensation down Eren’s back, before they finally kicked it to the foot of the bed.

“Look at you Eren, so beautiful all spread out for me.” Levi praised, kissing him, before moving over to lick and suck his way down from the omega’s ear, to his neck and collarbone, further south, hands mapping out the willing body, feeling the tingling sensation of Eren’s scratching nails up over his shoulders and neck, before resting gentle fingertips on Levi’s scalp, playing with his hair that had grown out a bit.

“I’m going to make you all mine, all mine and mine only.” Levi whispered against his belly button, before his head disappeared between Eren’s raised legs. This close, with Eren taking loud, gasping breaths, tensing and waiting for Levi to do something, he can’t help himself. He lets the saliva pool in his mouth, bathing in the rich scent of his omega, before he spits, right down Eren’s crack, and his omega jerks, like he’s been physically struck, letting out a shaky exhale, choking on Levi’s name, before almost screaming with the sensation of his alpha’s tongue licking broad short striped across his leaking hole, thumbs brushing up against the sensitive skin of his inner thighs, spreading his cheeks further for Levi’s attack. Eren tried to contain his arousal, but couldn’t help but moan loudly, as he felt Levi opening him up gently and ever so slowly, agonizingly slowly, worshipping every inch of his body, showering him with attention and focus that made Eren’s eyes cross from the intensity. He yelped as Levi’s teeth closed around a patch of skin on his left cheek, leaving a little bruise, that was showered with gentle kisses, as he worked his magic, easing finger after finger slowly into his mate, working him open properly, the taste of Eren’s slick fresh on his tongue, addictive like a drug. He wanted everything, inhale that scent, convert that taste to memory, burn the image of Eren’s pleading body into his brain forever and always.

By the time his lips sealed Eren’s, they were both sweating and achingly hard, his own dick almost purple with the strain of holding back.

“Please Levi, please stop teasing.” Eren babbled, brain already fuzzy with impending orgasm. The attention being given to his ass was more than enough to make him come, but he knows that’s not the way this is supposed to end. Just when he’s ready to beg Levi to stop and fuck him fucking finally, his alpha pulls away, silver eyes fixing Eren’s own teal green ones in earnest, but still ever so font.

“Won’t, I won’t make you wait any longer, mon cher.” his alpha promise,d submitting to the press of Eren’s hips hauling him closer, little feet digging harshly into the dimples of Levi’s back to urge him on. The tight heat and press of Eren’s body almost threatening to short circuit his brain and make him shoot right there and then, but he bites his lip as he pushes in. He took his time to let Eren adjust to the girth, before sliding in all the way down to the hilt, arms settled to either side of Eren’s face, their gazes locked, never straying further than a few blinks, or Eren closing them for a few seconds to drown in the feeling of Levi filling him up, hands tightly clutching the bed sheets below for control, as Levi started rolling his hips slowly, while they kissed.

“You’re so beautiful, all mine.” Levi moaned teeth pulling at Eren’s lower lip, as his tongue invaded the omega’s mouth over and over again. The sound of skin slapping against skin echoed around their bedroom, while Levi made love to him. The bow of his back and roll of his hips snapping into Eren, was all the omega could concentrate on. Eren was so hard he could pound nails, his dick curving up and Levi reached out to fist it, running his thumb along the tip, dragging a strangled moan out of him yet again, as the switch made Eren white out for a second, as he comes hard and all over Levi’s fist from just a single touch. But he knows, he is not done yet, can feel his deep in his core, that he needs more, more Levi, more of his alpha., needs his knot, keeping him full and he better be stuck on it for hours. Levi stilled for the moment, feeling Eren tense up as his orgasm overrides his senses, but picks up the pace again, when the omega’s body melts into him again, moving slow, one hand caressing Eren’s pronounced baby bump. Eren is moving too, shifting onto his side, while Levi settles in behind him, adjusting their position to not crowd Eren up too much, whose hips are thrusting back even as small, broken sounds work past his lips. The wordless pants eventually resolve themselves into pleas.

"Levi. Levi, FUCK, please, please alpha, make me yours, put another fucking kid in me..." Eren’s choking out in the heat of the moment and it's the plea to carry Levi’s offspring again, that unleashed the alpha.

He slots his hands onto Eren's hips and starts moving in earnest, fucking into Eren as fast, hard and eager as he dared, still a little scared of disturbing their kid. Eren just whines with it, keening and his back bowing, shoulders pressing into Levi’s chest, ass pushing as close and as much of Levi inside him as he can fit in their position, as he curls his legs up a little, making more room for his alpha. It’s so good, such good friction and Lebi can't do anything but roll his hips deeper, catching Eren’s prostate in the process to reduce his omega to a mumbling, moaning mess with closed eyes, totally at his alpha’s mercy, who’s seeking leverage in the bunched up bed sheets spread around them, soaked with their scent and drenched with their sweat. He can feel his knot swelling at the base of his shaft, the muscles in his back tightening as his orgasms threatens to overwhelm him. He buries himself just that few inches deeper into Eren, feeling him shoving down as well as Levi’s knot slips past the already red stretched rim and settles, while his teeth catch the side of Eren’s neck and claim what’s his. While he falls apart, flies apart at the seems with want and “MINE! MINE! MINE!” Repeating over and over again in his head, as he rides the feeling out, while Eren is chanting ” YOURS! YOURS! YOURS!” almost sobbing with every syllable and the feeling of Levi’s knot buried deep inside him, hot and pulsing, promising mine and safe and forever and family.

They both come down eventually, Levi sucking gently on the bite at his omega’s neck, where his teeth had left imprints in the taut pale skin, drawing blood to the surface, that would not fade for a long while, before scarring into an everlasting claiming bite over time.

Their bodies are both loose and relaxed, muscles burning with exhaustion, as Levi curls around Eren more, to hold him into his arms, while they wait for his knot to go down. Eren comes a second time, as they lie there, just from the sinking feeling of mate and safe, Levi painting unknown patterns on the stretched skin of his stomach, where their kid is still safe and surprisingly calm, after being rocked so much.

“You put him to sleep with your dick.” Eren joked, laughing a little, while Levi kisses his jaw and chuckled.

“I hope you never say that again, once he’s born or I will need to call the cops on myself.” Levi wheezed breathlessly. His abdominal muscles aching with the motion of laughter over his mates joke.

“You’re always so serious.” Eren teased, entwining their fingers. He knows, he’s terrible at jokes and that might not have been his best, but Levi loved him anyway. The feeling of Levi around him, standing out as their bond settles in time with Levi’s knot going down. He would always be able to sense, when Levi was close by, would be aware of his alpha at all times, his home and it made Eren jittery with happiness, so he just gave in and started to laugh happily, with tears streaming down his beautiful face.

“Eren, mon cher?” Levi asked baffled by the reaction of his omega.

“I just love you so much, my alpha. Best alpha.” Eren sobs, turning his face to snatch more kisses from Levi’s lips, in between the giggles.

“I love you too, mon cher. My omega, Best omega. Just so earth shakingly beautiful, all full with our kid.” Levi praised, as he showers Eren’s face with butterfly kisses all over.

They make out like this for a long time, before they can finally go and take a shower, once Levi slips out of the tight clutch of Eren’s ass. They trade even more kisses under the water spray and Eren gets another round of mind blowingly sex, before they finally get clean and to bed, cuddled up close together, sharing each other's breath, as they fall asleep big and little spoon. Sleeping with Eren was like sleeping with a needy octopus, when they woke up tangled into each other, hot puffs of morning breath across Levi’s chest and the claiming mark standing out in stark contrast to the gentle rays of morning light, highlighting Eren’s soft chestnut hair.

The next morning Eren can’t stop touching his neck with a surprised impression, feeling Levi’s teeth close in on it every time his fingers brush up against the dark bruise and imprints of  the alpha’s teeth. It makes his face split in half with a smile, every damn time and Levi lingers close by, even granted Eren breakfast in bed, trailing kisses along his neck every now and again, as if to make sure his mark was still, where he left it the night before, while feeding Eren. It was one of the easy mornings they rarely had, with no appointments rushing them out of the comforting warmth of their sheets.

Well this is that, until their doorbell rang.

Eren and Levi both frowned, before grabbing for their phones and fuck Levi’s life. He had missed messages from Keith Shadis, so he was pretty certain, who was waiting on the other side of the door. He got out of bed with a guilty expression, before putting on some sweats to let their manager in.

If Eren was surprised to see him, he didn’t let it show, just rolled out of their bedroom in one of Levi’s shirts and another pair of old sweats, from his alpha’s time at UND, heading for the kitchen, to slaughter some more of the grapefruit juice Levi kept buying. He really had it in for that shit recently, but Dr. Ral had allowed him to eat whatever he liked and if Shadis wouldn’t be here right now, Eren would ask Levi to get him Thai, or take him out to have some, because Thai sounded delicious to him right at that moment.

Levi and Keith Shadis wandered off to the study to deal with whatever they needed to, Eren wasn’t concerned. Just raided the living room shelf for some hidden cookies, he knew Levi kept somewhere in there. Their talk seemed to go on forever and while flipping through channels, Eren’s patience was wearing thin. He wanted Levi close, he wanted to snuggle up to him. Why was Shadis over anyway? Couldn’t he email, or phone, or fax or whatever else, to solve whatever problem he had? Why was he taking up Eren's precious time with his alpha? He could have at least allowed Eren to join in, even if it wasn’t about himself. He just wanted to sit in Levi’s lap, maybe rub his hair against Levi’s throat a little and have Levi touch his belly. Their kid was just as impatient, kicking almost angrily, as if to convey: Hey I’m super pissed too! Give me my papa back.

Eren paced through the condo and after half an hour had gone by, with the voices in the study rising a little from time to time, but not enough to be able to be heard from the living room, Eren wandered over to the door, ready to knock and disturb whatever was going on inside, to claim time with his mate.

Standing right in front of the wooden door, was close enough to understand the conversation going on inside though and it kept him rooted to the spot the second his brain snapped to attention. They weren’t talking about Levi obviously, they were talking about HIM, and behind his back on top of that.

“Levi you need to tell Eren about it. At least give him a heads up. They are pressing to have him down and showing next week and threaten to even get here and make him go. Do you want to wait for the bomb to go off? I’ve seen you’ve done as best as you could. I saw the claiming mark, right as I entered. We have the papers signed to help with transitioning, but we can’t keep him locked away from the public eye forever.” Shadis was pressing and the urgency in his voice made the hairs on Eren’s neck stand up.

“They won’t get their hands on him or my kid. I won’t let them.” Levi threatened. “I rather sent him up to Canada, to live with my mother in peace, until he gives birth, than make him go down to fucking Buffalo!”

He was supposed to be in Buffalo? Go to Buffalo? The city alone made his heart seize with pain and Eren’s hand rushed to cover his belly, as if to block the noise of Levi’s voice from their kid and what he was implying to come.

“I can’t hold them off for long, if they put in a court order to come get him, they will win. Do you want police to show up here and fetch him away from you out of the blue?” Keith asked briskly.

“OF COURSE I FUCKING DON’T WANT THAT!” Levi yelled, loud enough, that Eren flinched back from the door. Whatever it was, that made Levi turn almost hostile, he need to know, because every fibre in his body pushed him to go in there, calm Levi down, sort this out and get back to snuggling with his mate. Eren forgoes to knock and just simply pushed the door to the study open and entered. Feet already aching from standing up for so long without moving, but he is determined to not let it show. Keith is sitting in the armchair, Eren dozes in sometimes after reading a good book and Levi is facing him in the desk chair, that he seemed to have been sitting in, prior to getting to his feet, with his fist balled up tight to his side, ready to pounce on his agent, just from the hot rage he felt.

“You don’t want what to happen? Don’t want me to know what exactly? What’s going on Levi?” Eren asked, even though his voice wobbled a bit. He was scared of the answer, didn’t really wanted to know and wanted to know it so bad, just to have it over and done with in equal measure.

“Eren!” Levi sounded pained at the sight of him, seemed pained to actually have betrayed him, Eren can almost feel it so pabale, it is thickening the air around them with a tinge of pumpkin.

“I want to know, what’s going on and why you are talking behind my back! “ Eren said, voice cracking at the end. He leveled his teal green eyes on Levi, before gazing at his agent.

“Tell him Ackerman!” Keith encouraged the alpha.

“I tried handling this for you. I didn’t mean to go behind your back. I just didn’t want to get you worked up. You were recovering and you’re doing such a good job of looking after our kid. I didn’t want to put you at risk by distressing you.” Levi tried to defend himself, eyes pleading with Eren for forgiveness.

“I appreciate you looking out for me, Levi. You know I do. But tell me, what’s going on right now. Why do I ...why do I need to go to Buf… Buffalo?” Eren demanded even though his heart ached and his eyes filled with tears, just from saying the word. Levi walked over to him, taking Eren’s hand, stroking it soothingly, before leading him over to the desk chair he had occupied, to sit Eren down.

“I’ll tell you, mon cher. But I need you to stay calm, okay? There’s... there’s a situation... trouble with… with your parents. But we are handling it. We are doing all we can, to keep you safe. To keep you with me.” Levi emphasised.

“Why should I be leaving you? The Zacharias have never complained about you. Nanaba is… Nana likes you.” Eren argued, confused.

“I know she does, my love. I know she does. And she and her family support you, support us. It’s not about them.” Levi points out gently, still squeezing Eren’s hand in an attempt to comfort him for the oncoming blow.

“I don’t know what you are worried about then?” Eren deflected, too scared to acknowledge the elephant in the room.

“Your parents, your real parents. They filed in court. They try to reinforce control over you and our kid.” Levi tried to deliver, as gently as he could.

“They what?” Eren couldn’t control what was happening on his face, his emotions were all jumbled up, the old hope of getting his family back, of being loved, being safe and cared for, but then again the rejection, the resentment, the hate and utter despair, as they abandoned him, it all flashed in front of his inner eye. He felt like, they had been talking about the way, he’d put his heart through a fucking meat grinder over his family and served it up with a huge heaping portion of Fuck you! When they left him at the Zacharias, all alone by himself, before he found Levi, without even knowing how much it hurt him. Levi Ackerman, who took him in, who made him his. Levi, who loved him like a good alpha loved his omega.

“Eren. Eren! Mon cher, stop okay. It’s okay. Easy, breathe easy. We are taking care of things. They won’t get you!” Levi assured him, hugging his trembling pregnant omega to his chest, feeling the hardwood floor digging into his knees, from where he was kneeling in front of the desk chair. Observing the way Eren tried to suck oxygen down into his lungs, but not getting enough, curling in on himself.

“Don’t panic. Nothing is going to happen to you. I’ve got you. I’ve got you, mon cher. You are safe.” Levi murmured softly, waiting for Eren to stop shaking and hyperventilating. He didn’t want him to pass out, but his mind was already contemplating to call an ambulance regardless, or Dr. Ral at least, to make sure Eren and the kid were safe. His eyes locked on Shadis over Eren’s shoulder, despair clearly written all over his face. He hated to feel helpless in the face of Eren’s pain.

“Eren. It’s okay. Levi has been great in your interest. My legal team has it covered and we are not going to force you to go anywhere, you don’t want to go. We will be holding it off and postpone it, for as long as we can. If we can make the court drop the case, you won’t need to go anywhere, anyway.” Keith Shadis stepped in, patting the top of Eren’s chestnut hair fatherly. “You’re pregnant Yeager, you only need to be close to your mate and your doctors at the moment.” Shadis said with a soft smile.

“What did they claim?” Eren whispered, from where he was squished into Levi’s neck. He wanted the full truth to get to terms. He wanted all options on the table.

“A lot of bullshit, no real purchase for their claims.” Levi and Keith said in unison.

“The Zacharias handed me your graduation papers, the legal papers they received from your mother Carla, when she left you to their guardianship, as well as any other documents, we needed to prove the claims to be wrong. Levi signed up for your guardianship and I’ll hand that in to court today, to have your guardianship transition to Levi, as well as filing for official mating papers, that we need you to sign as well. Those might make the news, if they leak, but we will deal with that, if it happens. It will just benefit you after all. If you get an official mating certificate from the court of Chicago, Illinois, all your rights are written over to your alpha. Levi practically owns you then, which sounds like slavery, rather than marriage, but you guys know how it goes. They can literally shut every other claim down. Your doctor send me all documents we need to proceed and thankfully filled Levi in as the legal father of your kid, so that highers the stakes for Carla and her husband to even get the tip of a finger on either you, or your offspring. The mating papers will further strengthen this too. At the moment, we are in control of the narrative, if they don’t bring anything else forward.” Shadis counted down, raising a finger for each point he had come up with, to reassure Eren, without actually quoting any of the disregarding words the official court letter read.

Slowly Eren peeked out, from where he had been hiding and listening closely. Levi and Shadis alike had open and truth written all over their features. They wouldn’t lie to him.

“We all have your back Eren. I will send you to stay with Kuchel, if I need to, to keep you safe. I would jet you to the other end of the world and back, just to keep you safe.” Levi whispered, peppering Eren’s face with tiny kisses. “You’re mine! Mine, Eren. They can’t have you!” he emphasised.

“I’m yours. Don’t want anyone else.” Eren whispered back, voice thick with tears, as he cried silently into Levi’s shoulder.

“Come here, mon cher.” Levi soothed, lifting Eren up, to sit down and drag him onto his lap, under the protest of the chair, as Eren curled up around Levi, as best as he could, inhaling the maple scent of his mate and thinking. “Mine. I’m all his, All his. Safe. Home. My alpha.”

It took Eren some time to collect himself, but he started moving from Levi’s hug, the moment the kid started kicking him, to face Keith Shadis, who had observed and occasionally surfed on his phone in the meanwhile. If he was in a hurry, he didn’t let on, just sorted out some of the papers, spread out on the desk and clicking the ball pen, to lay down next to a red markered X, waiting for Eren to sign the forms for official mate certificate of the state of Illinois.

Eren signed, barely keeping himself from adding the 33 he used in his signatures on the ice, because he was so used to it. And set the ball pen down, nodding firmly.

“You got it.” he said, sounding still a little like he sniffled.

“We got this. We’ll work this out. I have my best lawyers on the case to have your back. They’ll handle all they can, without involving you and bothering you, unless they really need to.”

“Can Levi… I mean can Levi take care of decisions if possible?” Eren asked shyly. He wasn’t a coward, but he felt better when Levi was in control of things.

“You mean, if I can keep Levi updated on the process, without bothering you?”

“Yeah sort of.” Eren sighed, he felt drained and tired from the blow to the guts, the news was to him.

“Of course I can. He’s your mate. I’ll grant him the same privileges, as any other bonded alpha.” Shadis replied smoothly, leveling his gaze on Levi questioningly.

“Okay, then that’s a deal.” Eren emphasised, leaning back into his alpha’s embrace.

“I’ll take care of you.” Levi promised yet again, hugging his omega close.

“We’ve got this, remember we’ve got the army at our back, mon cher.” Levi whispered, kissing Eren’s temple, hands protecting his omega's belly. This was his family and he was taking charge, just like his maman taught him to.

They shook hands with Shadis shortly after, who congratulated them on their official bonding, before he left.

Levi made sure no one would be coming for them today, before taking care of Eren, who had fallen silent after the meeting. Going over everything in his mind and trying his hardest not to start purring over the exasperation he felt.

They were finally coming for him, trying to rip his life apart once again, trying to dig a grave, between him and his alpha. An alpha who truly wanted him, who cherished him, took care of him, attended to his every need. Someone who finally loved him, even though he had a hard time loving himself. They wanted to take that all away from him. Eren couldn’t help, but cry for a long time on Levi’s shoulder afterwards, cuddled back in bed, until he passed out from exhaustion, to Levi softly whispering in French to him, trying his hardest to make it all better. To keep Eren from slipping over the edge again. He wanted to strangle his omega’s parents. They would never get him, not even over his dead body!

Once, Eren had fallen asleep, Levi left the bed for a moment to call his own mother. He need reassurance too and if he had to turn to Kuchel to get that closure, he never hesitated to do exactly that. She had taken to love Eren like her own son, in the short time they spent in his condo, with Levi on the road. She would understand, would help him to make a plan for Eren’s escape, if needed. He knew Eren would be safe with his family, even with the Zacharias, but they had 4 kids themselves, he couldn’t put that on their shoulders.

Kuchel didn’t miss a heartbeat to catch her son over the phone. She would fight tooth and nail for him and his mate and their kid.

Levi really had the best mom. It where moments like this, he wished Eren would have been granted an equal loving upbringing and not such assholes, that claimed to be his parents and only made him miserable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and in case you are wondering, the total of this fic is 27 Chapters. You have 130 pages to go still :)


	22. Intermission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance for that cheesy scene at the end, that shamelessly was borrowed off the "Power of a goal" video by the Blackhawks. If you ever feel down, lack motivation, watch it! You don’t even need to like Hockey, I promise it is worth your while! It will pick you up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vwV_Fr_nzI

After leaving Levi and Eren to their own devices, Shadis left Chicago Court with all the papers he needed, heading over to the United Center. The court had granted his wish and filed the mating certificate right away, transferring all of Eren Yeager’s rights including his guardianship over to Levi Ackerman, his respectful alpha and now legal mate. The judge in charge and his witnesses, didn’t let him wait too long, given how high-profile his clients, that applied for a certificate were. The paper, complete with every needed watermark and seal, was tucked away safe in Shadis briefcase. The clerk in the judge’s office in charge of filing the document smiled gently, when Keith Shadis left, assuring him that she had no doubt the papers would go through without a hitch.

Filing these documents with the courts in Chicago was the next to last step, that Shadis felt needed to be done, before they took on the Yeager’s in the New York court. Having the final sale papers on the new house would help, as well. Nothing was amiss. Shadis was feeling confident, as he made his way to the UC and a meeting with the Hawks’ GM.

The final piece had to come from the Blackhawks, and despite having informed Nile Dawk several weeks ago about the importance of the papers, he needed from the Blackhawks organization, for the proceedings in court against the Yeager family, nothing had been forwarded to his office yet. He was a little surprised, knowing both of his clients weren’t Dawk’s most positive add-ons, since their story broke, he had at least expected the GM to stay professional and let them deal with the fall out as it arose - no such luck obviously.

Keith Shadis, however, was not a quitter and he was known around the sports world, for vehemently representing his clients in all aspects of their lives. So it would be no shock to anyone, that since he was in fucking Chicago anyway, Keith had just decided to walk right into the office of the man in question, to get what he needed. The element of surprise was a powerful weapon, so why not use it to his advantage, and it worked. When the girl at the front desk ushered him into a free conference room, regardless of the fact, that he didn’t have a set appointment.

“Mr. Dawk will be with you shortly, he’s got a phone conference and I will let him know you’re here, as soon as he is done.” the young lady told him, before asking, if he’d like to have a water or coffee, for the time he waited.

Shadis declined and settled into one of the chairs opposite the door, so he had a good look through the window onto the passing hallway. He wanted to be prepared for Nile’s entering, that would be dramatic as per usual. What he didn’t expect was Coach Erwin Smith, who passed the window, glancing at him,  before stopping and entering the room.

“Keith?” he seemed surprised to see him.

“Erwin.” Shadis greeted.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you. What brought you here, today?”

“No you’re not. I’m waiting for Nile actually. There is something I need from him, that he didn’t manage to send over to the office yet.” Shadis grumbled, clearly pissed off.

“I think, I know what you’re looking for, and I could have told you, that he wouldn’t be overly cooperative. I’d be lying, if I say it’s a surprise, that he acts like a dick, but it’s not. Since Levi took time off, he has taken to the alternates with an aggression, that pisses my entire team off. Let alone the fact that we’ve lost half of the games we played since. I mean Ackerman is back, but it’s not the same, obviously, his mind is a bit elsewhere, which is understandable, given the circumstances.” Smith said, running his hand thoughtfully over his scruffy chin.

“Well I’m afraid you’re the only one seeing it like that. Apart from the parties involved. I’ve just been over at Eren’s and Levi’s this morning. Things are not ideal, but we are working on it. Well given that Nile graces me with his presence and helps us to push the process along.” Shadis said, eyeing Erwin with renewed interest. Of course he couldn't give away much information, but he couldn’t shake the feeling, that a simple “Hello.” was all that brought Erwin over to meet with him today.

“Well I only heard rumors about what’s going on at the moment, but I might be able to help you. Since I want to help Levi and Eren. It’s not only me though, the entire team is looking for a way to help actually, but there is little they can do, other than field the press. Eren and Levi have kept to themselves and no one has actually been over to see him, since he got back from the hospital, which is a pity, if you ask me. But I understand that he needs to rest and doesn’t want to see anyone.” Erwin told him, taking a sip from his water bottle, he had brought along.

“Without my clients consent, I can’t tell you any details Erwin, I think you know that, but I respect your offer. Is there anything you think, I need to know?” Keith asked calmly, even though his gut feeling told him, there was something big coming his way, that might change everything in the future.

“Well, I can tell you that Dawk makes shitty decisions, but you’re already aware of this. What you probably don’t know is, he doesn’t make these all by himself. He’s on the phone right now and guess who he is talking to? It’s not that hard to guess, if he keeps you waiting. It’s not the other assholes from the board though, we all know they are a little old fashioned to say the least. It’s his buddy Grisha Yeager and his wife Carla. I only know, because I once walked into one of their phone calls by accident. Of course, it’s none of my business, but I can tell he’s biased when it’s clear as day, as in this case. He wants to keep Yeager and Ackerman apart, because in his opinion, that would benefit Ackerman. He was getting on me, to not put them on the same line, even though a blind man could tell the productiveness of their line was far and beyond astonishing. My first interest is the team winning and that everybody works together. I care that the dynamics work, not so much about who you think should and shouldn’t be together. If I see a puck in the net when Ackerman and Yeager take the ice, and I see my team scoring goals and winning games, then this is what I care about most. Period. Ever since signing Levi, Nile has been crazy with the stuff the kid could do, gave him the captaincy early and everything and now Yeager is literally shitting all over Nile’s plans with the pregnancy and making Levi play like shit - to say it with Dawk’s words. He signed Eren as a number one draft to please Mike Zacharias, who told him all those amazing stories, about what a good winger the kid would be, ever since planning to play Yeager on the second or third line for stability as he names it, more like dangling Eren in front of levi to make ackerman play even better and boost his press. Playing Yeager on the first line with Ackerman was never in his cards and he never took into account the possibility, of what happens when you’ve got an unbonded alpha and omega on the same team. Mike Zacharias is a Stanley Cup champion, his words come with a certain weight to them, so getting recommendations is never a bad thing. Nile went with it in the past. Needless to say, the press surrounding Yeager ever since joining Chicago was a disaster at best. Don’t look at me like that Shadis. I’m not blaming Eren, because he did nothing wrong, he just happened to be an unbonded omega in the NHL. We both know the media are like wolves, latching onto the weakest link to tear it apart. I hate to say it, but maybe Eren happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, simple as that. It will be hard to get Nile Dawk off his case, unless either one of your clients leave. So now you tell me, what we can do to keep Eren on the team? Because it seems to be in the interest of Eren’s dad to get him pulled from NHL ice and back home. I don’t really want to repeat the words he used, that day when I overheard them talking.”

Shadis had been gaping at coach Smith in shock, in between his long explanation, this news was like Keith Shadis personal version of hell, his biggest nightmare, but it made sense. So many pieces of the puzzle finally slotting into place.

“Well Erwin, I’m a little speechless to be honest with you.” Keith glanced outside again, afraid Nile would walk in on them any minute now. “What I can say is, that I just got the mating papers of Yeager and Ackerman filed in Chicago court this morning, that will hopefully shut down most of the trouble. It also grants Levi guardianship of Eren and the kid and it will save Eren’s spot on the team, unless Nile wants to trade both of them. We all know the rules of bonded pairs. I don’t think there’s much else we can do at the moment.” Keith stopped in the middle of the conversation, glancing over Erwins shoulder, seeing Nile Dawk approaching the door.

“Oh well, if you need me, you know where to find me. I need to go watch over game tape anyway. It was nice to see you, have a great day Keith.” Erwin replied, having caught on, as he heard the door closing behind them and Nile observing their interaction.

“Mr. Shadis, what a surprise to see you here.” Nile snarled, unfriendly as always. The polite tone he used on the phone vanished into thin air, upon seeing them both together in the conference room.

“Mr. Dawk, thank you for taking time to meet with me. It’s been a little hard to get a hold of you in the past.” Keith replied, all smoothly and bitter sweet.

“Well a team isn’t run on it’s own, Keith.” Nile replied dryly, before shaking his opponent's hand and taking a seat, watching Erwin Smith’s retreating back, down the corridor with a scornful look.

“I am a busy man, so why are you paying me a visit?” Dawk cut right to the point, not even holding back how annoyed he was, at Shadis showing up on his doorstep just like that.

“Well I figured, I waited long enough for the requested papers and since I was in town, I decided to pick them right up. It’s in both of our interests I assume, to get the best outcome for both of your players and to avoid much more media coverage, as long as we can lead the narrative, Nile. Isn’t it?” Shadis asked in that same tone of voice.

“I’m not sure whether we have the same interests at heart Shadis. Of course, I want to draw the attention away from our team’s captain, but it proves rather difficult and I still need to talk to him, before I can help you any further.” Nile blocked him right off.

“While I appreciate your concern, I’ve just meet with Levi Ackerman this morning indeed. He is not aware of any talks, that would still be needed, but is rather interested to get the fuss over and done with. So, he as well as I, rely on your commitment and cooperation to make it work. I don’t see any harm, that would arise from drawing up the papers in question.” Shadis said, shifting a little in the uncomfortable seat.

“Well I see a lot of problems right there for instance.” Nile bit back.

“I assume this stems from your recent interaction with my opposing party, doesn’t it? Well in this case, I highly question your commitment to either of my clients.” Shadis hinted with venom in his voice. Nile Dawk was such a traitor, lying straight to his face.  It really got his hackles up.

“Excuse me, I’m not sure I know what you are referring to Keith?” Dawk smiled, all fake confidence and dominance, projecting the image of a man, who thought he’d already won the faceoff.

“Let me enlighten you, Nile. How about your relationship to Eren Yeager’s family back in Buffalo, who happen to be the accusing party in this court case, and their opinions darkening your decision progress? I hate to point out, that you seem biased, but that’s what it looks like to me. I’m aware, there have been several discussions with both of my clients, that always ended in a disadvantage for one or the other of them. As a team’s GM, shouldn’t you be thinking about the grand picture, rather than your own personal interpretation of a player's life, or chosen way of living?”

“I don’t know how you happened to come to that conclusion and I refuse to comment on it, but to answer the last of your question I am looking at the grand picture, as you called it. A pregnant unbonded omega was not what I signed up for, nor what I want in the grand picture of my team's future.” Nile grunted, raising his voice ever so slightly. He obviously was getting agitated.

“Then I may enlighten you further, that the court of Chicago, Illinois, granted Levi Ackerman guardianship of his official mate Eren Yeager this morning. I assume you are familiar with the NHL rules, regarding contracts of bonded pairs and how to proceed with them, so I’m afraid whatever has been keeping you from handing over the requested papers, no longer holds any power now. Levi Ackerman is legally bound to be informed and in charge of all of Eren Yeager’s interests and therefore signed me as his manager to proceed in his interest, which means - well let me put it this way. He doesn’t give a fuck, what you think about it.”

Nile Dawk was not pleased to say the least, but there was little he could do. Keith Shadis had the better cards, or the better documents to prove his point, so he had to hand over the necessary papers, that he rather would tore into pieces. At least, it got Shadis out of this conference room, sooner rather than later. Nevertheless, Nile wouldn’t give up just like that, he might be bound to alternating the rules, but he sure wouldn’t give it a rest. He made sure to call the Yeager’s right after. They  would find a way to deal with it. The contract was for shit and Nile refused to accept any of the bound rules, didn’t even spare a thought, on how to enforce them. For him, Eren Yeager was no longer part of this organization and nothing would change that. Period.

Or so at least he thought, because it wasn’t even an hour later, before a very angry Chicago Blackhawks team entered his office with coach Smith in tow.

Coach Smith kept his smirk hidden, as did all three of his alternate captains, who came up to the GM, looming threateningly over Nile’s desk, with all the intimidation of an angry bunch of hockey players, ready to take him down in a fight, if it needed be.

“What the hell?” Dawk huffed, leaning back in his office chair, to get some space, between him and the rest of the team, that seemed only held back by the heavy oak desk in between them. Most of them, were still dressed in their practice gear, he wasn’t even sure, if they took their skates off, or were cutting his expensive office carpet into pieces.

“What the hell? Is this all you have to say?” Braun spat, on the right next to Jean Kirschtein, his gaze burning fire, ready to melt the entire office into ashes

“I don’t even know, what this is all about!” Nile defended himself, sniffing displeased. The room was charged and filled with a thunder like smell of pending disaster. Every alpha and omega on the team seemed fucking pissed off. Their scents mounting into something overpowering.

“Oh, he doesn’t know, like fuck do you know!” Hoover mocked him, standing to Jean’s left.

“Who even gave you the right to talk to me like that omega!” Nile hissed, trying to hold his ground.

“You are one to talk here! Don’t you disgrace my omega like that!” Reiner threatened, index finger shamelessly pointing at Nile’s face. If possible, the defenseman looked even angrier now, ready to throw the desk against the wall and involve fists.

“Are you all mad? This is fucking ridiculous!” Nile spat.

“The only person being fucking ridiculous right now, is you Nile! You think we don’t know, how you treat Ackerman and Yeager. You think we don’t care? Well, guess what? We’ve got news for you! It’s your fucking lucky day, because we do care! And if you don’t stop being a pile of rotting shit to our teammates and act like a fucking human being, you will leave this office today and we'll make sure, you’ll never ever return! Darius Zackley himself would be ashamed of your existence!” Jean Kirschtein took the word, his voice loud and final.

“I don’t think, any of you, has any say, in how I lead this team.” Nile scoffed, barely containing his laughter.

“Oh, you think we don’t?” Reiner challenged.

“No, you don’t gentleman! I can have all of you fired within the blink of an eye!” Dawk threatened, pulling up his contacts on his desktop computer, as if wanting to make a call.

“Try us!” Falco spoke up from behind.

“You treat omega’s like shit, you treat all of us like slaves and this is the fucking 20th century.” Arlert roared, from where he was standing right next to Falco Grice and Samuel Linke-Jackson, all three omega’s holding hands to support each other.

“You could have been a role model for the league, but instead you go behind your own players backs!” Falco shouted.

“I don’t know, what you are even talking about, didn’t you get disciplined by your alpha properly!” Nile huffed in disgust, he wouldn’t let that 20 something year old omega, override him like that.

“We are sick of your little games Dawk!” Jean Kirschtein addressed him again. “The entire team knows, that you disrespect, the captain’s mating certificate, that you even went as far, as trying to destroy the family he is forming, by drawing him and his mate into court, to get their kid taken away from them. You should be the role model, everyone expected you to be. You should have stepped up and taken that opportunity to make a change for every future omega in the league. Your responsibility should have been to have their backs, to support them unconditionally, like every other team would. But instead you opted to be a medieval dumbass instead. You only have one option. You either start sorting this out and give Ackerman and Yeage the respect and support they deserve, right the fuck now, or you will call the director and get yourself fired right this second. We’ve had enough of your shit!” Jean barked, hands clenching around the wood of the table, to keep himself in check. He wanted to draw blood badly and only his good upbringing, was keeping him in check from attacking Nile straight on. Jean and Marco had their own litter of kids at home and there was no way, he would play for such a shit team to feed them.

It wasn’t the first time they faced of like this, but it would most definitely be the last time.

“Nile, I warned you about this, weeks ago.” Coach Smith spoke up, from where he was watching the shitshow go down from the sidelines. He wouldn’t hold his team back this time, if all, he even felt proud they all took a stance for Eren and Levi.

“And I remember telling all of you, especially you Kirschtein and Braun, that this is my team and my rules and Eren Yeager is no longer a part of this team, so quit this embarrassing protest, you are all making fools of yourself and your behaviour in my office will have consequences!” Nile boomed.

“I think this is enough for now.” someone in the back, who had just entered the room spoke up. The players parted to make room for chairman Rod Reiss and Blackhawks CEO Karl Fritz.

“Rod, Karl.” Nile smiled brightly in greeting.

“Nile.” both returned the gesture with stony faces, not even the hint of a smile gracing the corner of either of their lips.

“We couldn’t ignore the turmoil and felt obligated to join this - party of sorts.” Rod spoke up, his gaze wandering over the team, piled into the small office. They bowed their heads for the both of them respectfully.

“Well, I’m sorry for the fuss, there were some misunderstandings…” Nile tried to explain, just to get shut down with a hand gesture by the president and CEO Fritz.

“From what has been brought to my attention, this is far more than a simple misunderstanding, Nile. We’ve left you to deal with the mess for long enough, but you didn’t seem to be able to get over yourself. Apart from the team speaking up, this is not the first time, I was consulted about the issue at hand, so deal with the consequences. You had your chance! I want you to vacant your office by the end of this afternoon, you are suspended without pay for an infinite amount of time.” Rod spoke, calmly and clearly, not letting any question unanswered, as of what he was expecting.

“WHAT!” Nile Dawk all but screeched in shock.

“You’ve heard me, Nile. In the ongoing weeks, we will sort out and take care of the rest.” the CEO said, before turning his attention back to the team, who had witnessed the exchange.

“In the name of the Blackhawks organisation, I want to apologize to all of you, and will do so in person to Mr. Ackerman and Mr. Yeager for the complications in the past weeks and the way the case was handled. We will take immediate action to support our team’s captain and his mate, as well as handle the ongoing narrative, of what is going to happen in the future. As part of the NHL, we respect the rights of a bonded pair and the complications, that can arise from said bond. Of course we aim to be a role model in this case, as you pointed out gently Mr. Grice.” Rod nodded along with the CEO, backing up the decision. The grim faces of their team seemed to soften a bit, as they all acknowledged that and left the office one by one, leaving coach Smith behind, who bowed out of respect for the leaders of the Blackhawks organisation.

It had only been a matter of time, before Nile’s games would come to an end, but he was glad it had been today. Maybe, he shouldn’t have underestimated someone like Keith Shadis, even though the guy was just an agent, he was one of the biggest in the industry and he was not afraid to take on a shitty GM, obviously.

Nile was still gaping like a fish in disbelief.

“I would say, you should start packing up your desk.” Erwin couldn’t help but mention, as he turned his back to them and returned to his team’s locker room with a smile on his face.

Karma was a bitch and it always got back to those, who deserved it. Nile Dawk was on top of that list at the moment.

The team was huddled together, when Erwin joined them, hushed voices plotting something and from the sound of it, it wasn’t the defense for their upcoming game that night. They were sitting with Nifa from Community relations and some other people from BHTV, their camera’s abandoned in one stall, waiting to be used again.

Some heads snapped up, as coach Smith entered, but no one stopped mid conversation, so Erwin joined them, listening in on what was coming up.

He couldn’t help but smile pleased, when he caught up with what was going on. His team wanted to do a short video for tonight's game, in honour of Levi and Eren - well without Levi obviously - who had been a healthy scratch for the night, but they would make sure, their captain would see it playing out on the jumbotron in front of all their fans.

Now that Nile was no longer a threat, they could go through with it, the conversation whatsoever didn’t stop there. Reiner and Jean had dragged in one of the portable whiteboards, they usually used for mapping out and explaining plays, to plan a baby shower for the next weekend.

Once all that was done, everybody got ready to shoot their part with the BHTV guys, who would have a hard time, to get it done and edited in time, but no one faltered under the pressure. Everybody was on board and for the first time in months, Erwin Smith had the feeling no one, except Nile Dawk, in this organization despised of their new bonded addition to the team.

  
  


Levi and Eren had settled into a routine by now, and they paid a visit to their new property in the afternoon, to observe the few workers that were setting up the place, with paint and the electricians, who installed the new lamps and other stuff that had to be altered and done, before they moved in.

They had thought about painting the nursery themselves, but in the end settled to leave it to the professionals. None of them was skilled enough, to handle the control it would need to set accurate borders in different colors. Settling on a color scheme hadn’t been a hardship, Levi was fascinated with Eren’s ideas for their new place and didn’t find anything to complain about. They went with the pastel yellow and green Eren had chosen with Kuchel, regardless of knowing they were having a boy.

“I won’t burden our kid with the traditional setting for genders, Levi!” Eren had insisted and he was right. Levi was so proud of him, for taking a different approach, then what he had been raised in. It became clear, that Eren had his own head and views of things, didn’t follow the tradition that had been drummed into him ever since. It was a step into freedom almost, to watch him put their nest together. The only thing they argued over had been Eren’s ridiculous baroque era chair, the heavy wood with red padding was ugly as hell to Levi. He didn’t want Eren to give it up, but there was no way in hell, they would set it up in the family room, as Eren intended to, maybe they could find a dark corner somewhere in the attic for it, far away where no one would ever see it again.

In the end Eren settled to leave it behind in his apartment and dragged Levi into the next furniture store to get a new cozy chair. The alpha didn’t protest, just guided Eren’s interest to a not so noticeable extravagant chair on display, that would fit in with their new family couch, they had already ordered. It was a soft beige color with white accents.

Eren was suspicious at first, but Levi helped him sit down for a test. He could see the way Eren visible relaxed and had sunk back into the cradle of the material, content and happy with a bright smile, before exclaiming: “Oh my god, this is the fucking best Levi!” Ackerman had just been left smiling and proud. Eren and their kid being comfortable was his main priority. They had found a few more pieces, for their guest rooms mainly, before returning back home. Eren was tired from walking so much and his feet and his back hurt and he didn’t waste a second to tell Levi exactly that in all detail.

Levi rolled his eyes at him, as he got Eren settled on their living room couch, before starting on dinner.

Both of them didn’t expect anymore guests and were surprised all the same as Rod Reiss and Karl Fritz graced them with a visit. Eren visible hid further under the duvet, Levi had brought him to warm up under, his shoulders hunched and his hands cradling his baby bump protectively, as he pretended to watch the show on their TV intendly. But for the love of it, he couldn’t turn out their voices in the hallway. Levi was surprised and glad he had put the food off the oven, because he was pretty certain it would have burned otherwise.

“Good afternoon, Levi. Do you guys have a few minutes for us?”

“Of course Mr. Fritz, Mr. Reiss, just come on in.” if the captain was nervous he didn’t let it show, but he could sense Eren’s distress. So he hurried over to the living room, to draw Eren into his side, soothe him and wait for what would be coming up next.

“Please take a seat, gentleman.” Levi motioned to the other end of the couch, not wanting to hide this conversation from Eren. They had talked a lot about that this morning, after Eren had recovered from his nervous breakdown on the news of the court case. It was hard for Levi to stick to this promise, to let Eren in on what was happening, because he worried his omega would get too worked up and might put himself or the kid at risk. But he could understand Eren’s worries of not wanting to be left out in the dark. This way he could decide by himself, whether or not he wanted to join the conversation and listen in as much, as he felt okay with and tune it out otherwise. One of Levi’s hand was cradling Eren’s neck, scratching the soft hairs at the back of his neck to get him to relax a little.

“Levi, Eren.” Fritz nodded gently to both of them, before taking a breath and continuing. Eren was hiding his face in Levi’s neck, inhaling his alpha’s scent deeply to keep his wits together.

“First of all, we are sorry to interrupt your day off, without announcing our arrival earlier. Please don’t worry, we don’t want to bother both of you for long, but something came up. Therefore, we felt obligated to come to talk to both of you immediately.” Karl Fritz explained patiently, not missing the way Eren was blinking suspiciously at them, from where he was hiding his face in an attempt to look uninterested in the proceedings. His hands never gave up their protective hold over his middle and he could feel Levi’s fingers trailing down and back up his waist slowly, to soothe his obvious distress. The gesture offering an unspoken agreement of MINE and you are safe with me.

“Okay. well how can we help you?” Levi offered politely, his eyes never leaving their uncomfortable looking gazes. The CEO and chairman seemed nervous to an extend that made Levi wary of them.

“We wanted to apologize in the name of the entire organization for the complications you had to face in the past weeks. It had come to our attention, that the both of you were treated not accordingly to your status on the team, nor with the respect needed for a bonded pair founding a family. Today the entire team stood up for you and your agent contacted us as well this morning and we took action in this regard. We are really sorry one of our employees had been giving you both such a hard time. The person in question had been removed from his position and place among the Blackhawks front office altogether.” Karl Fritz explained calmly. Rod elaborated further. “For the future, we aim to support both of you to the best of our organization’s abilities. The Blackhawks are not as setback as it seemed. We of course want to be a role model in the league and we are bound to the rules laid upon us by the NHL. Our aim is to support both of you going forward in the future. To which extend you like to be involved in this support network is of course up to your choice, just rest assured, that we will do all we can, to lead the narrative for you, to keep both of your privacies intact. These past weeks, that hadn’t been the case at all and we are deeply saddened by what happened.” Rod explained, remorse written all over both their faces.

Levi could feel Eren gasp slightly against his neck. This certainly hadn’t been, what the both of them had expected, to be the outcome of their bosses visit.

“So you're telling me, Nile Dawk s no longer the General Manager, nor is he holding any responsibilities affecting our position on the team’s roster?” Levi asked just to be sure, because that seemed otherworldly to him.

“Exactly. Mr. Dawk has been suspended without payment for an infinitive amount of time, starting today. Further consequences will follow, but be assured, that he will no longer threaten your place on the team, or be involved in anything regarding the future of your bond. We, as the Blackhawks organization, do not tolerate such kind of behaviour. We are very aware of the rules for bonded pairs and certain complications, that can arise from such a bond. That it happened to both of you was certainly a surprise, but we are sure, that our team will profit from this change, rather than be threatened by it. Congratulations on your family Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Yeager.” Fritz said, offering his hand to them to shake. Levi nodded slowly, before returning the gesture. Eren tentatively reached out and was surprised by the gently press of the other alpha’s hand. Rod followed up next and both bowed their heads in respect for them.

“If you ever need help in any regard, don’t hesitate to reach out to our staff. We are very grateful to have you two on our roster and we are not looking to change that anytime soon.” Karl emphasized.

“Also, Eren you are welcome to watch the games from the press box anytime, if you feel up to it. We will of course take care, that none of the media will bother you up there.” Rod affirmed.

“Thank you.” Eren whispered, looking uncertain.

“You get free range to travel with Levi on the road, if you please and as long as it’s safe for you of course. We grant you the same advantages, any other bonded omega holds on our team.” Fritz added, smiling gently.

“Thank you.” Eren whispered again, he felt a little overwhelmed by all of this and really needed some time to process all this information. Levi patted his hair gently, a fond smile playing at the corner of his lips, as he felt Eren blush.

“Thank you Mr. Fritz, Mr. Reiss. It was very nice of you to take time out of your day, to inform us about this. We will consider it in the future.” Levi concluded.

“It was a pleasure to meet both of you. An apology was the least we could do, given the circumstances. We wish both of you all the best for your kid and the future and we’re looking forward to see you play for our team again Eren.” both alpha’s noted, before leaving the both of them to their own devices, with Levi leading them out to the door and watching their backs disappear in the elevator. A breath, he hadn't even been aware he had been holding, leaving his chest in an audible whoosh sound, as he returned to Eren. This certainly had been a surprise. But Nile was gone now, Keith Shadis obviously had taken charge and Levi couldn't help, but feel happiness bubble up inside him. It was their show, they would get through this and just fuck everything else.

Levi returned to making dinner, once he was assured, that Eren was content and relaxed, as he heard his cell phone ping in the living room.

“Eren could you please get it?” Levi shouted towards the living room, busy with finishing dinner.

“Sure!” Eren yelled back, grabbing Levi’s cell phone from the coffee table, seeing a message from Horseface blinking on the screen. He slowly got to his feet and waddled over to the kitchen, he could smell, that dinner was ready by a mile, so he could as well make his way over. He settled at their kitchen knock slowly, watching Levi move around the oven, getting their plates ready.

“It’s a text from Jean.” Eren told him.

“What does he want?” Levi asked, putting the finishing touches to the salad, he had prepared earlier and just got out of the fridge, where it had been resting meanwhile.

“He says, we NEED to watch tonight’s opening of the game. Exclamation points on need.” Eren said, after reading, smiling stupidly to himself.

“But that’s like in ten minutes!” Levi groaned, getting a tray and putting their plates on it.

“Do you want me to help? I can carry the salad, if you want.” Eren offered, but Levi just shook his head.

“No thanks, just go get comfortable on the sofa. We better be watching this game opening, if Horseface insists.” Levi laughed. He didn’t approve of eating on his coach that much, but this was about Hockey so he could deal.

They settled onto the sofa in silence, while Eren went through the channels to find ESPN and the game. The announcer had just finished introducing the players one by one, as they cut to the Jumbotron.

“Tonight is a special night in Chicago!” the announcer said, as the video clip started playing. Levi and Eren both watched intently.

Jean was the first on screen, his face earnest and eyes open, facing the camera head on. “ It can pick you up on a bad day… ”

“And keep you going, long after the sun sets.” Bertolt continued with a serious expression.

“It can give you strength, like you’ve never known.” Reiner says into the camera, as he steps up next to Bertolt and rest his arm around the omega’s waist.

“And the safety of a home, that you never fear.” Hannes goes on.

“Without it you’ll never know how far you can go.” Coach Smith follows up, from the middle of the ice.

“It forms you.” Armin smiles.

“Contains you.” Falco affirms, taking Armin’s hand.

“Saves you.” Samuel continues, all three of them holding hands in support of each other.

“It allows you to take a break.” Langnar follows up

“And gives you the confidence to fight for yourself.” Thomas says, standing back to back with Langnar

“It helps you prepare for the future.” Farlan goes on, a soft look on his face.

“And achieve things you never thought possible.” Erwin says, crossing his arms and nodding firmly.

“A few things in life, are as powerful as love and a bond.” Bertolt, Reiner and Jean point out in unison.

“We know our captain has found that in Yeager, and we approve. Because Love and a bond, is more than you can ever wish for.” the entire team shouts, as the scene fades out into a heart formed by the team on the ice with the usual one goal slogan from PR.

Levi and Eren both were teary eyed, gaping at the TV. They never thought something like this would happen. It felt a little bit like being outed to the world, but at the same time it was a gesture of respect and gratitude just the same. The entire United Center was on its feet, people pounding on the glass, as the camera panned back into the arena to the sound of loud clapping and chants of “2533!”

The entire team had their sticks raised, before the routine of a game day returned.

Levi hugged his omega closely, both sharing a searing kiss, before they finally got to town on their dinner.


	23. House warming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty sure 95% of you won't read this, but recently I'm feeling so down, I haven't been writing at all, no longer excited about anything, haven't cosplayed, haven't talked to a lot of people. I'm just at a point where all the useless hate on social media is driving me away from the internet, resulting in me going to work and curling up in bed right after to pretend the world doesn't exist. Life is hard as ever, but this just makes me depressed. I used to love my little rare free time. I used to love creating stuff, now I'm just like: who even gives a shit, why bother. I left the only discord server I was on, because I only got repreminded for what I posted, I feel like the world has become so fucking selfish, you just have to go die and shut up, because if you are anything but normal, or dare to disagree with the masses, you are literally nothing. I spent all my life, trying to make room for myself, trying to like my bubble. Now my bubble is slowly suffocating me, because I'm not allowed to have it. It really sucks.

With Nile Dawk gone and out of power for the time being, life indeed got easier. Eren didn’t feel as anxious when Levi left for the road again, but he was still hesitant to come along, promises or not. He rather stayed back home with Marco Bodt, who came by every other day to check on him, just in case, the advantage of having a trained nurse on the ready soothed Levi's worries and the rest of the team's obviously, if the possessive glint in Jean's eyes was anything to go by - the fucker.

Well Eren would make sure, that there was no such “case” any time soon, but the more his pregnancy moved along, the more he suffered with dizziness, shortness of breath, dry eyes and heartburn, among other things. He couldn't even eat his favorite spicy taco's anymore, thanks to the heartburn, he was stuck with Greek yogurt and all sorts of milk to soothe it. Eren hated milk by now. He was sick of it and pretty sure he wouldn’t ever touch it again afterwards.

Why had no one told him how exhausting it was to carry a kid to term? He didn’t remember any of the teachers ever saying a word about the backaches, swollen feet and the disaster that is taking a shower, if you can’t see you own willy, without literally straining your back to the maximum it could take, feeling like someone is about to break your spine into pieces, just from trying to actually peer around the swollen lump in front of him, that had once upon a time been pretty amazing abs – thank you very much!

Seriously, it was hard to stay positive. He loved their little boy more with every passing day, but he looked like a fucking whale washed ashore and it was doing things to his mind set, that would be kind of disturbing, if he would actually talk about them to someone, not even his LMC knew about the fears and doubts - Eren hid well behind a small smile and a simple “I'm fine.”  , when asked how he was holding up.

But Eren couldn’t talk or better said he didn't dare to tell. He knew he should talk to Levi, or maybe call his sister Faye. But he couldn’t disappoint his alpha by voicing his doubts to someone else. He didn’t want Levi to get mad at him, by annoying him with this unimportant stuff and he was whining enough as it was. Didn't want to betray his unwavering trust by going behind his alpha's back, no matter how much Marco kept prodding at him to finally spill the beans.

Calling Faye was out of question, their last conversation still vivid in his mind. The way she had pressed him to get in contact to his parents. The way he had ended up in the ER that night, in the worst pain he had ever experienced in his life yet. Taking into account that his own parents currently dragged him in front of court to take his kid away, made him wonder if Faye hadn’t known about their intentions from the start. The way she had been positive about, how Eren needed to get home. The way she wouldn’t let up, as he let her down over and over again, by declining any ideas of even joining her for a conference call to settle the sides and arrange some sort of truce between him and his parents - well and now the letter. 

It was all a little much to deal with and to make sense of. He needed more time to process, what was happening around him and he didn't feel ready to face this demon yet, when he was busy looking after his kid and being a good omega for Levi. Because Levi was his mate and even though there was a slight option of their bond breaking, Eren had never really heard of many cases, when it did happen, but still it could happen and he had just found Levi. He needed Levi!

After the hospital, he had been too concerned with taking things easy and to be good to his kid and for Levi, who finally had claimed him. He had been busy with accepting the fact, that one of their kids had died, even if the doctors kept telling him it wasn’t his own fault. That there was nothing he could have done to avoid it from happening. Sometimes there was nothing to be done to change fate. The kid probably wasn't supposed to survive – multiples were so rare within male pregnancies, that there hardly was any documents about twins carried to term, without ending in death for either one of them, or both of them being stillborn or premature to a point, that survival was out of question. Or even worse the carrier dying while giving birth.

It was his kid and his kid died, so it was his fault – the logic was simple as that, a cheer fact that kept him up at the nights Ackerman was out of town. He could have given Levi twins, but couldn’t manage to keep himself together for long enough. Levi always reminded him, that he didn't blame him, told him every day how much he loved him and their kid and how Eren was his best omega, but all the words in the world couldn’t make that ache fade completely and to drown it in alcohol was out of question obviously!

The ache, that it had been his fault their kid died and the other was in constant danger ever since, because he couldn’t look after himself properly. His parents playing that card in front of court, to get their will was all of the confirmation Eren needed. These awful people had raised him, abandoned him and now still pretended to know better about what was good for him. Instead of being better, he just proved them right – he was such a bad omega. He sucked all along the line. He didn't deserve kid's and he didn't deserve Levi, and sometimes it was hard to even look at himself in the mirror, because why was Levi putting up with him, if it wasn't for the prospect that Eren was carrying his fucking kid just about now? Otherwise Levi would have never looked at him after their encounter ever again. For all Eren knew, Levi could be dating some hot, blonde, omega chick with big tits and a fine ass, someone who came without commitments, who didn't need a lot of attention, or was fussy all the time – not such a disaster like him. Fat with baby, dirty greasy chestnut hair and not very useful in general.

But here he was, sitting in Levi's condo, on Levi's couch being pampered by Marco Bodt.

He liked Marco, he really liked him, even though he was Horseface’s mate and well he wasn’t like the biggest of friends with one Jean Kirschtein yet, despite their team's best efforts. But whenever Marco came by, he couldn’t help but think, how he was babysitting him for Levi, for the time Ackerman was away playing hockey. The hockey Eren should be playing, but couldn’t, because he was busy being a big fat pregnant omega, sitting on his wide ass, back home on the couch. Useless to the team, useless to making his alpha's hockey beautiful and sick with longing for being close to exactly said alpha. A lost case his own GM had given upon. Making Levi proud was all he could do, by bringing this to a happy end, but with every passing day he felt farther away from accomplishing that simple task.

Not even Shadis best efforts and reassurances, that for the time being Nile Dawk was not coming back, or how supportive the entire Blackhawks organization suddenly was regarding his case – nothing was good enough to help him feel useful. He picked at Levi's biggest yoga pants, that were still a little too tight, to be comfortable, but no way in hell would he buy maternity clothes. Marco had tried bringing some around, after recognizing how uneasy Eren moved around the apartment, if he left the bed or couch for that matter at all. But he thoroughly refused to even try them on. The green UND shirt was almost ripping at the seems, to contain his bump, but it would do a little longer, even though it got a little cold when he was standing up, since it wouldn't cover him all the way down to the sweatpants, but hey he and Levi had fluffy blankets and they were doing a great job so far – thank you very much! He loved hiding in them and napping on their big couch and he napped a lot these days, even though it was uncomfortable due to the short stabbing pains he got every now and again, in addition to be forced to sleep on his side. The first time it had happened he almost freaked all the way out.

Levi had been down in Dallas and he was all by himself, as he found himself kneeling on the living room floor, as Marco came by, worry edged in his face. He assured him it wouldn't be too bad, but Eren had insisted on going to see Dr. Ral, who told him all kind of things about Braxton Hicks contractions, which eased his mind for no reason. He was just preparing to give birth to their kid obviously and should take it more easy. They occurred every 20 minutes or so, and lasted around 20 seconds. It was feeling like a tightening across his bump and he absolutely hated it. Their son was thankfully very active despite that, Eren was sure the kicks he felt, were getting stronger with every passing day and it was obvious that their kid started to react to sound and touch. He spent hours just prodding his tummy, to feel a little feet kicking him exactly in that spot.

When Levi had found out about it, he had insisted on reading a french fairy tale to their kid each night he was home, because apparently it was very important to get him used to their voices. As if their kid would even be able to resist the Canadian monotone of his dad's voice for just a second. Eren just rolled his eyes at that, but let Levi do the reading anyway, because his alpha's voice was comforting and lulling him to sleep faster than any tea could.

When he had his LMC appointment, he had to give a urine sample, so they could run checks for sugar, which could be a sign of gestational diabetes, and were looking for protein, which could be a sign of pre-eclampsia. The time he had to wait for the results to come back, had been the worst, because he was sure, they would tell him the most awful news ever – that he had fucked up again!

But it didn't happen and Eren cried with happiness, ringing Levi up at the UC the second he got the results and sobbing down the line in relief. For once he had done something right, even though it took Levi a few minutes, to understand what exactly the good news was, with Eren hysterically crying, indicating the absolute opposite. He was out of danger of two things at least it seemed.

Marco kept him from doing too much about their new house, which sucked major ass, because Eren could literally go crazy with Levi’s or his own credit card for that matter. But it still got boring pretty fast, to be stuck on the couch. He didn't trust the movers to assemble the nursery for their own god damn life's – seriously they would get it all wrong and just no, NO!

The only good thing was, that they had their new house already child proofed, Levi had taken care of it on a rare day off in between games. The experts had covered electrical outlets, removed choking hazards, updated the smoke alarms and blocked off the staircase with safety doors, just a few steps among other things. Marco told him that a few locks had been exchanged and the basement was already done, as well as most of the new furniture had been delivered.

While that made Eren smile, there was little else he could do. Levi would have the task to assemble all the pieces of their nursery, when he returned home, after another exhausting day on the ice, with the playoffs just around the corner, but from the looks of it, their team wouldn't even make it for a wild card spot and this made Eren even more depressed. They could have been so good, they could have made it. He had promised Levi, that they would fill the UC up, that they would bring Hockey back to Chicago and he owned it to their fans, yet he was stuck at home, pregnant and not very useful to the team or their stats per se. And Eren was really good with numbers, numbers were comforting, something he could control, something that made sense to him – well and their numbers were for shit. Their Power play was even worse and the shoots on goal were a living disaster waiting to tumble down on them. There was absolutely nothing Eren could do about it, he couldn't score goals, couldn't help to set up plays. He couldn't do anything!

He was allowed to attend games and sit in the box, something he still refused to do, because seriously, not even he was that deluded, to give the beat reporters any more ammunition to shoot against him. They did this anyway, whether he was there or not. It made no difference at all, so why bother? The articles kept coming and Eren couldn't resist, but read every single one of them.

He was napping again, when Levi returned home from locker clean out, on the 1st June, not looking all too happy about an early summer, but still a small smile left on his lips, as he watched over Eren's sleeping form, cuddled up in the fluffy blankets despite the first heat waves, he was freezing all the time, which in turn made Levi worry. What if there was something wrong with his omega? What if the baby was putting too much stress on Eren's fragile young body? What if there was something wrong with their kid? But he tried his best to stay positive. Eren had just been to a check in with Dr. Ral, who told him everything was fine. Eren was 30 weeks along and this was just the exhaustion and that he needed to rest as much as possible with the upcoming birth. It still felt strange to Levi, even though they had been to a couple of Lamaze classes in between games and therefore were prepared for the worst case, as best as possible. It still scared him, that he could lose Eren. His file was already marked as a high risk pregnancy, due to the earlier complications, but this was Eren, his omega, his so strong omega carrying his kid and Levi needed to be firm with himself and believe, that he could pull this off. Eren would handle the birth just fine, they had a C-section scheduled for the 28th July already and there still was so much left to do, with moving places and settling in. Maybe an early summer wasn't too bad for the both of them, it gave them time to adjust to their new life, to their family once their kid was born. Eren deserved something good, after all the shit he'd been through, even though Shadis checked in with Levi about the court proceedings regularly, there had been no settlement reached so far. Eren’s parents were still pushing for custody regardless and the court was processing slow, due to whatever busy circumstances. At least Eren hadn’t had to show up in Buffalo so far and Levi would make sure, he didn’t need to at least until he gave birth. Testifying while Eren looked like ready to pop, couldn’t be good for his omega or his kid either, so Shadis and his lawyers office tried to delay the disaster, for as long as possible.

With all this on his backhand, Levi was determined to start setting up the nursery furniture the next day, to do something good for Eren and to distract himself from boredom and the depressed mood he nurtured for weeks now, the closer the birth date was coming.

He just was not prepared for the text Horseface sent him during dinner, which simply stated: “Be at your new house tmrw 2 p.m. Bring Eren.”

Like what the actual fuck? Nothing good could come out of a Jean Kirschtein ordering his captain around and since when, was it Horseface’s business, what Levi did with his new house after all? A part of his alpha instinct kicked in hard, making the jealous thoughts rise to the surface and driving him to claim Eren all over again. Maybe it hadn’t been too good, to have Jean’s husband and mate looking after Eren for so long in a row. Damn the away games, but no matter how hard Levi had tried to get Eren to come along, he refused for good enough reasons - Levi knew this, deep down he did.

But Eren was his and his only!

Eren could smell the change on Levi, when his thoughts turned to a darker shade of possessiveness and he wondered what had happened, to make him like that. It was a little scary still, but not enough to send him into almost a panic attack, because he knew Levi loved him - Levi was not a threat to him or his kid. He just was stupidly into Eren for some unknown reason.

Eren sighed, rubbing his cheek against his alpha’s throat to get him to relax, before venturing forward to find out what got his hackles up.

“What’s wrong?”

“Urgh, just Horseface sticking his nose in my business. You know what he is like?” Levi tried to brush it off, knowing fully well that Eren did not know, what he was talking about. Therefore he and Jean were not close enough, yet.

“Is he being a dick to you again?” Eren tried later, when they had moved to the bedroom, playing with the hairs of the undercut at the nape of Levi’s neck.

“No just his usual Horseface self, but I think we better find out what he is up to. He wants us to come to the house tomorrow afternoon and I was planning on taking you there anyway. I was thinking we could set up the nursery, so it’s ready before our kid decides to make an appearance.” he explained, bathing in the comfort,he got from having Eren snuggling up to him, as they got ready for bed and settled in. Eren was curled up next to him under the sheets and already yawning, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

“We could do this.” he whispered in between yawns, twining his fingers with Levi’s who were cradling his baby bump, as his alpha spooned him gently.

“Okay, love you baby.” Levi murmured, rubbing his nose along the line of Eren’s neck, lips lingering over his claiming mark, ready to fall asleep.

The next afternoon the silence in their car was not uncomfortable, as they made their way over to their new property, but it was heavy enough to make Eren anxious and Levi’s grip fidgeting on the steering wheel, while he navigated them through Chicago traffic. What would be waiting for them? Levi had a restless night, with Eren getting up every other hour to pee, or simply waking up, snuggling back into Levi, after what felt like a little nightmare - one more of those things he didn’t tell Levi about, adding to the list of things that made him worry about his omega. Eren wasn’t closed off entirely, but it felt like it was only inches away from happening and Levi felt helpless, because he had no idea what to do, to make it better. On the road he had stayed up researching every night, reading about postnatal depression and other things, but it never actually covered, what was going on with Eren.

Levi knew he wasn’t actually helping, by putting them both into a situation neither one of them knew what was coming up, but fuck Horseface anyway and if he wouldn’t oblige, there would be hell to pay. One Jean Kirschtein was a sour loser and he would annoy Levi for the rest of his life, if he turned down the invitation.

Eren fiddled with the radio stations halfway there and Levi let him, because why not. He was just as nervous. What if Jean had painted their house in all Blackhawks colors, just to fuck with them, or worse? He could live with the Blackhawks colors probably and there was always an option to get the job redone anyway, but any other things were simply out of question. Eren had tried his hardest to built a nest for the both of them, to make it a home he and Levi could enjoy - so Horseface better not had fucked with it. Just the thought alone made Levi mad again and he stomped the feeling down as best as he could. It was no help to get angry, it would only make Eren more uneasy.

Nothing was looking out of the ordinary as they arrived, there was Kirschtein’s car and Levi was not sure, but one of the cars ahead looked like Reiner’s, but other then that, nothing terrible on first glance. Their house had not been re-painted and there were no obnoxious signs in their front yard, or balloons tied to the stair case, so it looked pretty decent.

Eren’s eyes seemed to check over the front too, coming up empty handed, they both just shrugged and got out of the car. Better face the music while it’s still playing. Eren was struggling a little with the high curb, but refused Levi’s offer for help, as they stepped up to their house. It looked a little lost and empty from the outside, but Eren was sure this would change, if he and Levi would finally move in and have their kid wreaking havoc all over the place.

They made it up the stairs, where Levi watched Eren intently, ready to catch him, should he struggle, with his center being all off with the baby bump and Levi was just about to unlock the front door, as a grinning Jean Kirschtein opened up for them.

“The fuck!?” they both exclaimed a little shocked, but Horseface just laughed.

“Ah there you are. Marco got me a key, while he was looking after our smol titan here.” Jean explained, still smiling.

“Uh yeah nice.” Levi replied sarcastically, looking anything but fine at this information.

“So what exactly are you doing here?” Eren asked just as skeptically, trying to look past Jean, who still made no attempt to step aside and let them in.

“Ah Eren, you’ve got so huge since I last meet you.” Jean crooned in reply and Levi felt about ready to snap and punch his alternate captain’s teeth out.

“Great answer Horseface. So how about you make some room, before Eren is falling back down the stairs, from having to wait a fucking life time!” Levi snarled, glowering at him, as he pushes the door open some more.

“Oh sure, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, my bad!” Jean sing songed and finally stepped aside to let them pass. Levi’s eyes scanned the hallway and the way up the staircase, looking for anything out of the usual.

“Just so you know I’m not trusting you for shits.” Ackerman grumped, as he checked every single room over quickly, to see if any furniture is upside down or destroyed - but everything looks fine and the movers did a decent job in fact, nothing seems out of place, before glancing down to the basement. Sure Horseface wouldn’t have bothered to fuck something up down there. Jean watched Levi amused, while Eren just dropped onto a chair in the kitchen with a big thud, thankful to be sitting and meanwhile telling Kirschtein exactly and very colorful, how much he hated him for this entire mess - for just THIS! - fucking everything. Eren promised he would slap a bitch or two, if Horseface had fucked up his perfect nest.

“Aww, smol titan, stop complaining, you will thank me for it. Also you guys did a decent job with the interior design, it looks great I must admit.”

“Yada, yada.” Levi huffed as he joined them, he still needed to check upstairs, but he didn’t want Eren to have to deal with Horseface on his own, longer than strictly necessary.

“I’m wounded you’re so ungrateful ACK!” Jean announced, rubbing his hands together as he made his way to the patio doors. “I think some fresh air will help the both of you.” Jean sing songed, waiting for Eren and Levi to follow him outside. The pair shared a confused glance, but Levi helped Eren to his feet, even though the right winger protested slightly, just to lean on Levi even heavier than intended. He was already annoyed and tired.

Fuck Jean anyway!

Their backyard was a surprise whatsoever, decorated with balloons, tables set up and a loud chorus of “WELCOME HOME!” greeted them as they entered, suddenly surrounded by a lot of people, friends, teammates - everybody-  and it was overwhelming them both.

Eren was holding onto Levi shocked, as he tried to get over the initial shock and took in all the people gathered in their backyard. There were his teammates with their families, every single one of them, even the rookies and coach Erwin and his wife Marie. The kids were running around Falco, who was smiling like someone hung the fucking moon, next to a happy Keith Shadis and some staff from his office, Eren and Levi had meet over time.

Armin was sitting with Farlan and Langnar and their respective others, all smiles. Like goddamn Oluo fucking Bozado of the Boston Bruins was sitting in his backyard! - what the actual fuck!

There was a huge cake on the patio table, guarded by some people Eren  couldn’t recall the names of yet, but they made Levi smile so bright, it were probably friends of him.

The crowd, parted after the shouting of greetings and ‘oh my god!’ died down and Eren couldn’t help the tears, seeing Nanaba and Mike Zacharias with their kids holding a “Welcome home Eren and Levi!” banner, right next to Levi’s mom and dad. He almost missed Faye, who was standing off to the side, looking at him sadly, but also kind of longingly and Eren didn’t know, if he could handle all of this. He needed a minute to sit down, their kid was doing somersaults inside him and his head hurt from all the emotions battling within him upon seeing her.

Bertolt, who was closest to them, stood up quickly, offering Eren his chair, as he observed how pale the omega turned and Levi guided Eren over, holding his hand protectively.

He was overwhelmed himself. That certainly was one hell of a surprise. Their families approached them one by one, offering hugs, smiles and well wishes.

“I got ya Laser!” Horseface smirked, bumping Levi’s shoulder friendly, while Marco offered Eren some water and a tissue, who accepted thankfully, still a little shaken up and staring around in wonder, clinging to Nanaba the longest, as best as he could with his baby bump in the way and absorbing all the strength they offered him. Every hug and touch was like a craving within him being served.

“You’re looking good mon cher.” Kuchel cooed, kissing both his cheeks making Eren blush in the process. Levi’s mom was the fucking best! Well right after Nana of course. Levi blushed even harder, as his maman hugged him to her chest. Pride flooded him upon the touch, like he finally did something right and his hilarious friends just kind of made it to the top with this. Never would he have imagined them, arranging such a gathering.

“Well thank you guys, seriously. Wooooow!” Levi finally found his words, standing next to his omega, still holding his hand.

“We kind of took it a bit far.” Kuchel smiled, stepping into the house, as Levi and Eren followed her inside for a moment, after most of the welcoming crew had come and gone, gathering in little groups around the yard holding chit chat with each other and giving the bonded pair some minutes to themselves.

“How far maman?” Levi asked confused. Wasn’t it enough, that his parents came all the way from Winnipeg and the Zacharias had made it from Detroit, even bringing Faye, which Levi felt wary about and Eren had kept his distance so far, sticking to Levi’s side and following him in with his mom, rather than staying outside with their guests and his sister. He hadn't even let her come close to saying hello to him. Not one word had been exchanged between the siblings so far.

“Just follow me upstairs sweetheart.” Kuchel replied vaguely, patiently waiting for Eren and Levi upstairs. Despite Levi offering to carry Eren all the way up, he refused and struggled breathlessly up the staircase, followed by concerned looks from everyone around.

“I can walk some fucking stairs!” Eren snapped under his breath, but holding onto the banister, as if his life would depend on it.

They made it to the nursery without any accidents and Eren’s heart was beating staccato in his chest from exhaustion. What did they do? What kind of surprise was waiting for them up here?

“You did not?” Levi asked overwhelmed, as he slowly opened the door to their kids nursery.

“Yes we did, mon coeur. You both are so busy with everything going on around you. We thought you would appreciate some help in setting everything up. We got everything covered, that your boy will might need, in the kitchen and so on.” Kuchel soothed, letting them both enter first and take in the room. Eren was stunned and so was Levi. It was fucking perfect, there were no words other than that. The furniture fit in with the color scheme, making it look sunny and positive in all the right places. A little Tommy Hawk plushy was sitting in the crib, there were a little #33 Yeager and a #25 Ackerman jersey folded at the changing table among other things. Eren couldn’t help himself and just cried into Levi’s collar, letting himself be hugged by his alpha and Kuchel, because it was just so heartbreakingly perfect and they got the best friends ever in the whole damn world.

The only thing missing in their nursery was their kid now and by the action and kicks going on in his belly, someone was impatient to start running around in here as well. Levi smiled helplessly, his hand following the movement of their kid and his own eyes a little teary, as he held Eren close and basked in the feeling of home. This was finally THEIR home and the nursery flooded with warm sunlight and the first breeze of a summer as 3, was promising a future yet unknown.

“You guys are incredible. It’s perfect, so beautiful. I love you guys.” Levi said with feeling, as his mom squeezes his hand in understanding.

“There’s a little more so.” Kenny adds, from where he is leaning in the doorway, having followed them up almost unnoticed.

“Are you serious? You guys already did so much.” Levi whispered, his hand indicating the entire room and everything.

“Well, while you guys will stay with us and your guests downstairs, most of the rookies and some of your teammates are already over at your condo’s and pack everything up. You guys will be sleeping here tonight. That’s your new home, didn’t we make this clear?” Kenny stated with a smile. Eren and Levi gasped at the revelation.

“Oh my god!” Eren exclaimed into Levi’s shirt, feeling his alpha holding on tighter.

“Thank you, thank you so much guys!” Levi murmured, awe written all over his face.

“You’re welcome lovely’s.” Kuchel replied, a warm smile playing around her lips, feeling just as touched.

“Do you want to stay up here for a while, or do you want to come down with us?” Kenny asked, smiling as well.

“I think we might need a minute, but we will be down shortly.” Levi promised, guiding Eren over to their master bedroom, where their new bed was already waiting, fresh sheets draped invitingly over the mattress.

Eren sat down heavily on the bed, he couldn’t stand any longer, his legs were shaking so much and there was so much going on in his head right now, he felt like he might pass out.

Levi helped him lie down and cuddled up to him. The confusion in Eren’s feelings made his scent really strong. It’s not entirely something bad, but it got a note of citron going, that showed he’s not as content, as Levi would have liked him to be.

“I know it’s a lot, mon cher. I know.” he soothed his omega, scratching the nape of his neck slowly and toying with the soft chestnut hair, trying to get Eren to relax and let loose. Eren sighed heavily, groaning at the headache, that was  acting up even more now and burrowed his face into Levi’s neck closing his eyes.

“Do you want to take a nap?” Levi asked, feeling Eren’s pain as a dull ache through their bond. Usually Eren kept it shut, so Levi wouldn’t suffer from Eren feeling unwell, but his senses were so on overload, that he couldn’t shut Levi out and just held onto his alpha.

“It’s okay, mon cher. Take your time. It will pass. I know it’s a lot to take in. I’m overwhelmed too. I would have never guessed, they would go as far out of their way as they did. No one will be mad, if you stay up here for a while.” Levi went on, switching to French midway through his rant, knowing it would lull Eren to sleep. He stayed until he felt Eren’s breath even out, before covering him up with the blanket and joining the people downstairs for a while.

He could do with some coffee as well, feeling the exhaustion nagging away at his awareness. But even though he did not arrange this gathering, he’s the host, so there is no time to take a nap. Kuchel patted his cheek knowingly, as he told her in a hushed voice about Eren being asleep and she understands that Levi cares and that he’s worried.

“You could take a nap as well, mon coeur.” she assured him, tapping his butt to get him to go back upstairs.

“But maman.” Levi objected.

“We can handle all the people and everybody will understand, that you need a moment to digest everything. No one will be mad. Go join your love. You’ve already done so much in the last weeks. You need to rest too. Just remember once your kid is here, there will be no more sleep for a while.” Kuchel winked, waiting for Levi to go back up and disappear into the master’s suite.

And his mother was not wrong, as always, when Levi emerged with Eren hot on his heels, an hour later, both felt way better. Except that Eren was still jittery about meeting Faye, but that was forgotten at first, because he was hungry, he craved food - or their kid craved it and Eren was just all too happy to stack up at the buffet outside, lounging on one of the deck chairs, making small talk with everyone who stopped by and stuffing his face happily. Kuchel had made his favourite cake and he could literally drown in it. It was delicious and even though it was uttermost Canadian, he loved every single bite of it.

Faye took her time to make her rounds and stayed with the Zacharias mostly. She felt bad about ruining Eren’s great day - after he had disappeared for almost 2 hours straight, right after saying hello and seeing her, but she had hoped he would be glad to see her. Ever since the incident, she had worried about her pregnant brother and when she had come across the court letter on her parents kitchen table, her insides had turned into knots, because even she saw right through their bullshit.

She had a horrible feeling about Eren and she wanted to be there for him, but she had to play it safe - she knew, so she kept in touch with the Zacharias family, even spend a weekend over in Detroit, talking to both of them in great detail about what was going on back home and what she could do to help Eren. But she needed to tell Eren all this and he was so fat with baby,  it was the worst point of all time to bother him with it.

She approached Levi first, who was talking to his sister Mikasa and some of her friends. She was afraid of his resentment, but maybe it was the better way to go, if she could talk to him first, before screwing Eren’s entire happy day up into a fucking mess and causing another incident like the last time. She shuddered at the thought of that, as she tapped Levi’s shoulder lightly to get his attention. It took a moment for him to notice, but he turned towards her, eyes wary and posture awkward, as if he was unsure what would be the better protocol right now.

“Faye.” Levi greeted her politely albeit stiffly, wondering what she might had to talk to him about.

“Levi, can I might have a minute. I… There's something I need to talk to you about.” her voice was a pitch too high, betraying her nervousness, as she waved over towards the kitchen, where they would be out of earshot.

“Uhm, yeah sure. No problem.” Levi was confused as all hell, but followed her willingly enough inside, to hear her out. Eren was busy with Armin and Marco and did not notice him leaving, so if it would not take too long, he would be around soon enough, without Eren worrying where he had disappeared to.

Faye closed the patio doors behind them, to muffle the noise from the party going on outside, before nervously glancing up at the other alpha.

“So?” Levi asked, breaking the awkward silence, that had fallen on the room.

“You probably… you probably wonder what I’m doing here and Eren might as well. It’s not my intention to make you angry, or to ruin your day and I… I might need to tell Eren all this, but I’m afraid he might not take well to the news, so I thought… I thought it would be better to tell you first.” she finally started hesitantly.

“Okay. So what kind of news are we actually talking about here?” Levi inquired, feeling nauseous all of a sudden, his hackles rising at the prospect of yet another problem coming up.

“I’m sorry for the drama I caused both of you and I'm sorry for all the mess, even though it's not my point to apologize. I swear, I had no idea what my parents were planning. I only found out a few weeks ago, because they left a court letter open on the kitchen table. It made me sick, just to read their accusations against my brother and I was scared to reach out to him and to you. I thought you might conclude, that I was in on their little shit show, which I swear I was not. I really was not. I feel so guilty and so bad about what happened to Eren the last time we spoke and when I found out, that my parents are currently threatening him, I just wanted to cry. But I didn't know what to do to help. I really want to. I want to help you guys out, even though it might mean going behind my parents back and getting kicked out of home. I spend a weekend up in Detroit with Nanaba and Mike trying to come to terms, with what was happening and to come up with a plan and I know you guys have a strong defense going for you.” Faye started hesitantly.

“Okay. Hold on a second. I accept your apology and I understand, that this is a very difficult situation for you, Faye. I’m glad you told me all that and to hear it from you, that you were never a threat or danger to my omega, but I doubt there's much you can do to help with the court proceedings. And I don’t want to put you at risk just to get you involved, even if it's on your own terms. Eren wouldn’t want you to be in danger of getting kicked out of home.” Levi interrupted her.

“I know, but I think it is important, because there are things you guys might not know. I spied on my parents, ever since finding that letter and I think, I figured out what they are planning, or what their goal is. I know you guys are probably delaying the hearing at the moment, with all the circumstances at hand, which I’m grateful for, but I’m afraid it might not be enough to make them stop.” Faye said, fidgeting helplessly and turning the glass of water in her hand over and over again, glad that she had something to hold onto in this difficult moment, because Levi’s Laser death glare was right on her, trying to melt her into the kitchen floor.

“Wait are you implying, that there is more to this entire court case, then the actual hideous declarations of fake truth, put out at the moment? Because I and Eren are officially bonded and therefore, your parents have no claim on him.” Levi pointed out.

“Well that’s good news, I did not know that. I'm just scared, that they may find a way around this. I saw dad pulling up fake documents of some kind the other day, he had one of those assholes from downtown over, one of those tricksters you usually turn to, if you have stuff to do, that is barely legal or not legal at all, you know, fake ID’s and whatever else you need, they got it right at hand, these kind of people. And I saw him pay for the documents. I don’t know the content of said documents, but it might just add to their plan.” Faye explained.

“Okay, well uhm sorry, but I think we need to add Shadis to this conversation to be honest, this is getting a little much and you are right, it's a bad point of time. Nevertheless we have to deal with the punches as they come and I appreciate your honesty. I would be grateful, if you don't tell Eren about whatever fucked up masterplan your parents are pulling up, but I’m sure he will appreciate, that you have his back. Just take it slowly and give him time. He will come around to you, I’m sure. But for now, we might need Shadis in on this, before we continue this conversation.” Levi explained, unease filling him from head to toe, as he ventured over to the patio doors and fetched Keith Shadis, before taking him and Faye to the study.

They made the meeting, as short as possible to not attract attention and the outcome, couldn't have been any more devastating. Eren’s parents had a sick plan and it would be a hell of a deal, to keep them from following through.

Faye told them about how possessed their father was, by the idea of actually owning Eren’s kid and making it a better impression of society, than his fallen son. He had no intentions of treating Eren carefully, or even with respect upon his return to home, he just wanted to gain control. He wanted that grandchild and Carla wanted it too, even if her intentions might slightly differ, because she actually missed taking care of her son and wanted to do better with his kid, than she had done with Eren himself. All Grisha Yeager wanted, was to have another alpha son, a better son, a more worthy son, than that “pile of shit”  he considered to be his son at the moment, Faye quoted with disgust. Eren’s brother Zeke was showing signs of turning out a beta, but his parents didn’t treat him, like they had Eren, even if that ship of “the alpha son” had sailed, so Grisha needed to get his hands on the grandchild. But to get their grandchild, they needed to get through Eren and therefore, they would pull every trick in the book to get to it.

Levi was sick, he was so angry and mad afterwards, he really wanted to break something. 

“I swear to god, these cunts can go jump! I wouldn’t even ask how high!” he muttered pissed off.

Faye was in tears, but regained control quickly, before leaving to apologize to Eren, Levi assumed. He was sitting in the office chair of his study, trying to not break every available surface in the room and waiting for his mom and dad, Shadis had gone to get. He couldn't hold back with this news, not even for a second and he wanted his parents to know, but more than that, he had a plan. A plan to save Eren from the evil, that was waiting for him and he would break every rule and go to jail, if he had to, to keep his omega safe. Eren's parents wouldn't get their dirty paws on his offspring, or his mate for that matter.

It took a while to get Kuchel and Kenny’s approval for said plan, but in the end they swore to do, as he ordered them to and they would do anything they could, to protect Eren and his kid by their life.

For now, that had to be enough and Levi had a strong pull of his beer, before joining the party again. Assured, that he would get Eren out of this mess, should the situation come head to head.

Eren however, had no idea what was going on behind closed doors and that might work in their favor for now. Levi was only thinking of Eren’s best interest and everything, that kept Eren and his kid safe and far away from his evil parents, was his omegas best interest.

As dinner time drew close, the rest of the rookies joined them, having completed their task to pack up and get over all of the captain’s and right winger’s shit, right in time to go heavy on the food and beer. The mood was content and Eren had snuggled up in Levi's lap,  plate balanced on his belly and a big smile on his face, as he chatted with Faye back and forth. They obviously had figured out everything they had to and Levi was no longer jealous, indeed he was grateful for Eren to have a sister like that, because without her, he would have never known what was ahead of them. But for the rest of the night, he wouldn’t bother to poke sleeping monsters. He could deal with them, once they broke out of the closet. An ally behind enemy lines, was still an ally.

When the night had fallen and most of the party had moved to the living room, with some guests already having left to get their kids into bed, Eren was almost half asleep on Levi’s lap and it was about time, they called it a day. They thanked everyone, who joined for their effort and help, before saying their goodbyes and getting ready for bed.

The Zacharias family and Faye would share the basement with Levi’s parents for the night, before returning to their own respective homes the next day and leave Eren and Levi to adjust to their new house.

After all, it wouldn’t be long, before the soft cries of a newborn would fill the walls with joy.

The night was uneasy at best, because Eren was just as restless as Levi, but they managed somehow. They had some free weeks all to themselves, with no playoffs coming up, so they took their sweet time to decorate and re-arrange their home, the way they pleased, while Levi and Shadis were corresponding back and forth in between to set everything up, should Levi need to pull the imaginary STOP card, in regards of the court trial. 

Levi even managed to sell both their condo’s without further ado in record time, not that they would be in need of money, but it was one more thing off his hands.


	24. This is not happening...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for all the outpuring of love and support on my latest update. I never expected such response. I will answer every single one.  
> Okay here we go big bang Part 1 of 3

Levi woke up slowly from his slumber, opening his eyes only a fraction, in case it was already morning and to not get blinded by sunlight, as he felt Eren fidgeting next to him. He laid there for a few minutes, trying to drop back off to sleep and not to worry about his omega, as he realized it was still in the middle of the fucking night. His arm was tingling unpleasantly from being squished between the mattress and Eren’s hair during sleep, because his alpha was obviously better, than any pillow they owned - which speaking of those, were all stacked up on Eren’s side of the bed, even though he barely had any use for them at night, because he couldn’t move around much with the belly he was carrying around. The blood was rushing back into his arm a little, as he tried to adjust his position, without jostling his pregnant mate too much. It was a beautiful disaster at best.

Eren had been cranky and outright bitchy for most of the day, hell the entire past week, while Levi was up in Canada for promotional stuff with Canadian Tire, complaining nonstop about his sore feet, aching back and other things every time they had skyped.

“I’m already so fucking huge Levi, I can’t even touch my own fucking dick for fucks sake!” he had grumbled angrily this afternoon not for the first time, after Levi had returned home and was through the door for barely 4 minutes tops and Eren sighed heavily whenever remembering, that he had at least a few more weeks to go, before their beautiful kid would be born.

The surgery was the a lot less scary option for the both of them, even though Dr. Ral had taken much time to explain, that a natural non-surgical birth would heal faster for an athlete like Eren and be more beneficial performance wise, in hindsight of when Eren could return to the ice. But Eren wouldn’t actually have it, he was so scared of the pain and the endless hours it would take to get that kid pushed out, in addition with all the horror stories he had consumed over the internet ever since the date drew nearer, he just wouldn’t have it, so they had the C-section drawn up. Levi was fine he thought, or as fine as he could be, because even his maman had tried to talk Eren into giving natural birth, just for safety reasons and all.

He felt Eren fidgeting for a little while longer, baby bump pressing into Levi’s hip, before he rolled out of bed.

“Again? Seriously?” Levi mumbled grumpily, sleep slurring his words. Eren’s constant peeing at night had gotten worse, as the days went on and today just took the fucking top of the list of horrible nights, so far.

“Sorry.” Eren whispered in apology.

The alpha sighed, as Eren slowly waddled out of the room and into their en suite, careful to not bump into any furniture in the darkness, for what felt like the 20th time already, since actually going to bed, huffing under his breath about having to fucking go again. And well yes, Levi would sign this any second, because he actually felt like he had just laid down and drifted off, before being woken up again. He laid there, waiting for Eren to return, knowing that he'd be disturbed again upon his omega’s return. Levi rubbed his hand over his nose with a sigh, stretching his arm out to get the blood flowing again in the meanwhile. He glanced over at the clock, as he debated whether to take a painkiller as a precaution for his upcoming headache or not, deciding to just sleep it out, rather than risk it being worse in the morning, because he actually got squished into the boards in the promotional shot on accident and kind of hit it hard, given his latest game had been in april, he sort of was a little off anyway. He had passed the concussion tests at the end of the season with flying colors, even though they had failed to make it to the playoffs for the 5th season in a row, but Eren’s latest antics really ran his nerves into the ground - not just literally. By now Levi himself felt ready to have their kid pop out, if it would help to settle Eren at ease, or at least it would stop him from being such a bitch. To add to all evil, they had the Hilton convention coming up and he was not looking forward to attend the fan convention without his mate, who had to stay put as a precaution, if he wanted to or not.

While Eren had never actually asked for much, other than a few hand jobs or a blowjob, which okay, Levi could understand, the big wave of passion and need to get laid while preggers, everybody was raving about, had never come - or not yet. But by now Eren was so huge with baby, Levi couldn’t imagine him getting anything up at all, without hurting their kid in the process.

He felt his tiredness and jetlag catching up with him, as he continued glancing at the clock on their nightstand, sighing frustratedly with each minute that passed. He couldn’t help it, as he started to drop back off to sleep, jumping slightly, as he heard the toilet flush. The alpha  groaned in annoyance, despite his better judgement, as he heard Eren slowly making his way back into their bedroom.

“Are you done now?” He couldn’t help but snap, as Eren closed the door to the en suite a little too noisily, as if he wanted to say: ‘Yes I’m fucking done with this shit too!’.

“Yeah, I’m sorry Levi.” his omega mumbled quietly, sounding tired himself. Levi rolled over onto his left side, feeling guilty for acting like a dick, his back facing Eren, as the  omega slowly climbed back into bed again. He tried to relax enough to fall asleep with Eren snuggling back up to him, as best as he could with his belly in the way. Levi had just started to fall asleep again, when Eren started to move around behind him, baby bump shoving Levi in the back in the process and almost off the bed. The alpha rolled onto his back with a sigh and rubbed his eyes tiredly, as Eren continued to fidget, before climbing out of bed again.

“For fucks sake EREN! You seriously can't need to go again, it's like the twenty fucking fifth time already!” Levi complained, voice thick with demand and order.

“Sorry.” Eren mumbled quietly.

Levi looked over at him, seeing his omega’s silhouette in the dark, edges illuminated by the little light of the street lamps streaming into their bedroom through the big window, with the curtains only drawn shut fifty percent of the way, the light softly cradling eren’s oversized bump. It was quiet in their room and no noises from the street were heard, only Eren’s nervous breathing, where he stood at the dresser, looking back and forth, between his alpha and the en suite door guiltily.

“Jesus fucking christ! It's bad enough, you've spent the past 3 hours since you climbed into bed tossing and turning and that's without the constant getting up and out, to go to the fucking bloody toilet!” Levi growled, pressing his face into the soft pillow to muffle the growl emanating from his chest, he couldn’t control.

He could hear Eren sigh long suffering. He probably knew, that Levi was equally annoyed, as well as sleep deprived as hell, from traveling back and forth so much the past days, but that didn’t stop his eyes from watering. His alpha was annoyed with him, because once again Eren wasn’t a good enough omega.

“So either go to the fucking toilet and stay there, until you are fucking done for real, or get back into this bed! Because fuck me sideways Eren, but I would like at least some bloody fucking sleep tonight.” Levi sincerely lost it at that, snapping angrily, his eyes burning with the need to get a few hours of rest.

Eren let out a small whimper, his tears close to spilling over. He didn’t want his alpha to be mad at him. He never meant to make Levi angry with him. He wanted to be a good omega, he had tried so hard.

BUT HE COULDN’T FUCKING HELP IT!

Their kid was playing fucking tetris on his bladder or some shit and his back ached with the weight he had to carry. The fake contractions Dr. Ral had explained to be normal by now, didn’t really contribute to make him feel better either, because it hurt, it fucking hurt okay, and he couldn’t actually get comfortable no matter how hard he fucking tried.

“Look I'm sorry, baby.” Levi sighed, slightly calmer, realizing that his anger wouldn’t help, nor would taking it out on Eren. His omega didn’t deserve to feel bad about carrying their kid. Fuck his life, what had he been thinking in the first place? He could actually smell how upset Eren was, because it was all over the place and irritating his nose. “I didn't mean to snap at you like that mon cher, but I'm tired and I've got another meeting with Nile the asshole Dawk coming up and my eyes fucking burn like coals.” Levi tried his best to apologize, nausea hitting him at the thought, that Dawk had found a way back in the Blackhawks organization, even if he no longer held as much power as before, the tramp was back and they had to deal with his ugly ass.

He saw Eren not moving from his spot at the dresser.

“Come here baby, I didn't mean to be a moody asshole to you. You don’t need to be afraid of me. You’re the best omega Eren.” Levi cooed gently. “I promise not to snap again, so go to the toilet and then come and get back into bed and snuggle up, mon cher.” Eren wanted to, but it was hard to concentrate on what his alpha was saying, because dang that was a pain stabbing from hell for a second and it took all his breath away and made it hard, not to fold in half from the force of it.

“I… Levi! I think my water just broke.” Eren whimpered quietly, voice cracking, as he felt wetness rushing down the inside of his thighs. Because no, he hadn’t peed himself, that would be different, given it actually happened a couple of times already, when he was not fast enough to get out of bed.

“Oh my god! What?!” Levi gasped, as he sat up and reached over, flicking on the lamp on his night stand, on high alert all of a sudden, as Eren’s words rang out in the air. Sure his eyes itched but sleep couldn’t be further from his mind at that very moment.

“Are you sure, mon cher?” he asked, looking at Eren, eyes scanning over his body, trailing over his huge bump all the way down to the clear liquid running down the inside of his thighs, mixed with the omega’s slick gathering in the small puddle, Eren was standing in at the dresser, the fabric of his boxer briefs soaked through and clinging to his trembling legs.

“No, I just pissed on the hardwood floor for fun.” he mumbled angrily, the chirp failing to be funny, as he looked at Levi, gaze heavy with fear and gripping the dresser for support, as another stabbing pain rushed through him.

“Tabarnak!” Levi muttered, quickly getting out of bed and to his feet. He started pulling his clothes on frantically, as Eren stood there, his one hand still holding onto the dresser, the other cradling the underside of his baby bump unsure of what to do, looking down at the slowly growing puddle around his feet.

“I'll get the car keys and your bag.” Levi mumbled, running out of the room in his sweats, while pulling on his top from earlier.

Eren stood there for another heartbeat, his bottom lip trembling slightly, not knowing what to do. Sure Levi would come back and knew what to do, because this wasn’t in his book. He was not ready yet. Their kid was not supposed to be born yet. He still had a few weeks left, but yet here he was, feeling helpless and afraid all of a sudden.

“Sorry.” Levi said with a small smile, as he walked back into the bedroom and over to Eren, resting one hand on his bump, as he gently stroked Eren's cheek with the other to comfort him. He had overcome his quick burst of hysteria, before he remembered, that Eren was probably scared shitless and needed him more, than he needed to get the fucking car.

“You got this mon cher. Let's get you sorted out and get to the hospital. How are you feeling?” He asked gently, as he pulled out some clean boxers and sweats from the dresser, along with a shirt.

“Are you in any pain?” his alpha urged, voice projecting calm, as he got Eren a towel from the bathroom, to prevent him from leaking all over the place, despite his new clothes. Eren shrugged his shoulders, before nodding and clinging to his alpha’s arm for support, as another contraction - yeah that’s what it was - ripped through him, making him clench his teeth.

“I'm just so scared and it hurts Levi, it hurts.” he whispered, tears flowing freely now. “I’m… I’m so sorry. So sorry.” he cried.

“It's alright, I'm here Eren and soon our son will be too.” Levi smiled softly, pulling his omega into a hug and rubbing his lower back in soothing circles, to help ease the discomfort.

He helped Eren slowly pull on his favourite UND top, before helping him to get out of the soaked undies and back into clean clothes, so he could take him down to the care and to the hospital.

“Let's clean you up. Can you hold that, while I get your boxers on? You can lean on me, mon cher. I got you. I got you!” Levi said, gently wiping the slick and water from Eren's legs with a soft towel, ignoring the puddle on the hardwood floor for now. They could clean that up later, now other priorities came first.

The omega nodded and held the other towel Levi had handed him against his bum, balancing most of his weight on one of his alpha’s shoulders, he refused to ease his grip on. He felt touch deprived somehow and touching Levi was comforting, grounding in a way Eren needed right now.

“Lift your foot for me, mon cher.” his alpha murmured softly.

Eren carefully put his foot into the boxers, repeating his action with the other leg, as another contraction faded.

Levi slowly pulled them up. “Okay, you’re okay smol titan. We’ve got this. I'll just put a pad in for you, so you don't soak the car and then we can finish dressing you.” Levi assured him, feeling glad his mom had stocked a few pads, as a precaution in their bathroom, for after the surgery. But they came in handy now.

He quickly helped his mate finish dressing, before gently squeezing his hand.

“Let's grab your bag and get you to the hospital.” Levi smiled.

“Yeah.” Eren sniffled quietly, allowing his alpha to help him down the stairs, where they pulled their coats and shoes on. Levi carried his duffle bag to the car, chucking it on the backseat and helping him into the passenger side, before dashing back into the hallway, to fetch the car seat they got from his parents, during the housewarming party and back out, locking up their house and booking it to the hospital, as fast as the traffic allowed them to go.

Eren was panting all the way there, trying to breathe through the contractions the way his LMC taught him. Levi tried ringing her up, while driving, but got no answer, just the voice mail informing him, that Eren’s LMC was on holidays and to contact Dr. Ral’s office in case of emergency, which shit out of luck. The dashboard told him it was something like 2:30 a.m in the fucking morning.

“You’re doing fine, mon cher.” he murmured at a red light, that forced them to stop. He looked over to his omega in the passenger seat, resting his forehead against Eren's for a second to comfort him.

“We'll get to meet him for the first time.” the alpha smiled.

His omega gave him a small watery smile and nod, before hissing from the pain of another contraction.

“Fuck yeah!” Eren whispered breathlessly, clinging to Levi’s hand, until they pulled up into the hospital parking lot, Levi grabbing a free spot closest to the entrance and helping Eren out of the car and inside.

He held him tightly as they slowly walked towards the desk on the obstetrics  ward as fast as Eren could, who was holding his bump protectively, as if to say: ‘No babe you’re not allowed to come out yet.’

“We're nearly there. You’re doing so good Eren. Such a good omega.” his alpha said gently, adjusting the duffle bag on his shoulder, but never letting go of him.

They reached the reception desk, which Eren quickly leant against, using both hands for support, as another contraction made him pant into Levi’s shoulder, trying to find comfort in his mate’s maple scent, that he loved so much.

Meanwhile Levi addressed the nurse behind the desk, “Hi, this is my mate Eren Yeager, born November 19th 1988, Buffalo NY. His water broke about 20 minutes ago, give and take a few.”

“Add Ackerman.” Eren murmured stubbornly into Levi’s neck, making his alpha smile.

“OK, hey Eren. Let's just pull your records up.” the nurse smiled friendly, before tapping on the keyboard.

The omega groaned loudly and leant forward, resting his head against the desk, as he struggled with another sharp stabbing pain, making his legs shake dangerously.

“It's alright,  mon cher. Just relax and try to breath deeply. You got this. I got you.” Levi soothed gently, rubbing his back, waiting impatiently for the nurse to be done with checking his charts on Eren.

“We tried to contact his LMC, but she’s on vacation.” Levi added, wanting to help the nurse along, who was still scrolling through the files on his desktop.

“OK, sorry I've finally found your file Mr. Yeager. I'll just book you into a room and get someone here to see you.” the beta behind the desk mumbled, after another moment. He pressed a red button, before quickly typing on the keyboard again.

“You called, Mario?” another CNM nurse questioned, appearing out of a door behind the desk, rolling her eyes a little amused,.

“You've got some customers.” The nurse - Mario - at the keyboard asserted. “This is Eren Yeager, he's 32 weeks pregnant with a minor placental abruption, suffered a partly miscarriage at 16 weeks, red flagged so I'll call the doctor when I've checked him in. Water broke 20 min ago.”

“Thanks Mario, call and pull his notes up as well.” the other nurse - a young girl - smiled, her voice indicating English was not her native tongue, but Levi couldn’t place the accent just yet.

“Yeah, will do.” he said as he finished typing. “Got you booked into room 8.” Mario added, turning to Levi and Eren with a smile, as he reached for the phone on his desk.

“Thanks Mario.” The blonde nurse replied politely, coming around the desk and approaching the couple, holding her hand out to Levi in greeting.

“Hi, I'm Krista Reiss, I'll be your midwife, Eren.” she smiled, as they shook hands.

“I'm Levi Ackerman, this is my mate Eren.” Levi smiled slightly, suddenly really sick of instructions, because hello his omega was panting and groaning right next to him, why not shift your attention to the task at hand, rather than exchanging pleasantries back and forth. His lack of sleep didn’t help his tone of voice, which was obviously annoyed. Eren slowly lifted his head, sighing deeply, as he cast a glance at his midwife - fuck his life the beta was looking like some supermodel right from the Vanity Fair cover. Golden blonde hair in a high ponytail, crystal blue eyes and a slight blush on her cheeks.

“Let's get you settled. Are you okay to walk or do you want a wheelchair?” Krista asked softly, all the time smiling at Eren.

“I can fucking walk!” Eren snapped breathlessly, gaze accusingly glowering at the midwife, as if she was to blame for the pain Eren was in.

“Well, let's get you to your room.” the beta laughed, not offended one bit, by Eren’s lack of politeness, walking around the other side of him. She put one arm around Eren's waist, just like his alpha had, who was supporting him on the other side.

“It's just down here.” Krista mentioned, as they slowly started walking, with Eren groaning in between them, stopping every other couple of steps to pant in frustration. It fucking hurt - okay. Why couldn’t they just put him under and get this C-section started right away, instead of letting him suffer along? He really hated everybody at that moment.

They slowly walked into their assigned room #8 and over to the bed, as Eren carefully sat down on the edge of it, sitting seemed to make the pain a little more bearable, it was taking most of the strain of his back.

“Okay, you've got this lovely gown to wear right here, so if you'd like to put it on, while I go and get your notes and then I can check you over and see how far along you are.” Krista offered.

“Thank you.” Levi replied with a small smile. At least something was happening now. They watched as the midwife disappeared out of the room, before Levi picked up the folded pastel yellow hospital gown of the bottom of the bed.

“Let's get you undressed, mon cher.” he said gently, carefully pulling the omega’s top off, after Eren had nodded dully and he held the gown out for him to put his arms through, before tying it loosely at the back.

“You can stay like this, while I get your shoes and socks off.” Levi murmured, quickly bending down in front of his omega to do as he said. He quickly undid the sneaker laces and pulled the socks off of Eren’s feet and put them under  the chair near his bed.

“How about the rest now? I need to you to stand up for a second, mon cher.” Levi directed. Eren carefully stood up, as his alpha pulled his sweats down, quickly holding onto his boxer shorts, as Levi tried to pull them down as well.

“They're going to need to come off as well, Eren.” Levi chuckled in an attempt to lighten the mood, even if he could relate to the small omega’s sudden feeling of shame and need for modesty.

“I don't want to leak everywhere. Please don’t make me.” Eren begged sniffling.

“Yeah, alright. I understand, it’s no problem for now. Don’t you worry, mon cher. You can leave them on, just until Krista returns, I assume.” his alpha soothed, not wanting to upset his mate further, he was already scratched raw from fear it seemed.

“How are you doing in here?” the beta woman asked, still smiling as she walked back in, closing the door behind herself, carrying Eren's notes on one arm and flipping through them with the other hand, quickly scanning the pages.

“It's so cold.” Eren complained, wrapping his arms around his middle, as best as he could in an attempt to warm himself up.

“I'll turn the heating up a bit, no biggie. I can imagine it’s freezing with half your clothes off and just the paper to cover up. You’re not the first one telling me this.” Krista laughed lightly, adjusting the dial on the wall.

“Thanks Krista.” Eren mumbled quietly, eyeing her, as she approached the side of his bed with deliberate steps and a confidence like she totally got her shit under wraps, rubbing at her chin, as if deeply in thought for a second.

“You can put your clothes in here, you'll be here for a little while anyway, so you might as well get comfortable.” Krista explained, opening a cupboard to her left and motioning for Levi to put Eren’s clothes and duffle in there.

“Alright.” Levi nodded, picking up Eren's folded clothes and putting them neatly away in the assigned cupboard.

“Right, now that we got this out of the way. Let's get a bit more information first and then I'll check you over.” Krista went on, pulling up a swiveling stool and sitting down to Eren’s left beside, right in front of the small window. The omega nodded in acknowledgement, not looking forward to it at all and feeling queasy as hell.

“When did your water break?” the midwife inquired again, pen in hand ready to scribble down some more notes, should she need to.

“About 35 minutes ago.” Levi answered for his omega. Krista casted a quick glance down at her watch.

“So about 2 a.m.” she checked back again, before writing it down in Eren’s file. “Have you been having any contractions at all?”

Eren shook his head in denial. He was not having fucking contractions, his kid was not going to be born right now! He had a few more weeks and the entire scenario at home was probably just a horrible nightmare. Surely he would wake up any minute in the cradle of his alpha’s arms. But Eren did not wake up.

“I've just been really uncomfortable and had a back ache, that keeps coming and going, a stabbing pain from hell, as if someone would actually try to you know. My ass and stuff.” Eren mumbled embarrassed, as the beta kept leveling him with a patient gaze, waiting for his answer, having held up her hand before, to keep Levi from answering for his mate.

“That sounds like contractions to me after all, Eren. When did they start?” Krista chuckled.

“Earlier, like before I went to bed, maybe.” the omega groaned, curling up a little tighter in obvious discomfort, clutching Levi’s hand for help.

“Why didn't you say anything, mon cher?” Levi asked a little taken aback, before remembering how little they had actually talked before crashing into bed, with Levi just gotten home from the airport and knackered. There hadn’t really been time for lot of conversation, before they had hit the hay.

“I thought it were just Hicks you know, like Dr. Ral said. I was just uncomfortable on the sofa, while watching that chick flick and then you came home and you were so grumpy and tired. I… I didn’t mean to...” Eren started crying halfway through, his hormones all out of whack. “I thought it would pass.” he sobbed, feeling so guilty for having kept this from his mate.

“Aww, Eren it’s ok, mon cher. Nobody is blaming you. It’s alright. Calm down.” Levi tried to comfort him, wiping his tears away with the tip of his thumb. Krista gave them a few minutes, before she went on with gathering all the necessary informations. Noting down Dr. Ral’s name, so they could ring her up.

“How often have they been coming?” the beta questioned, after Eren had calmed down a bit and was no longer crying.

“I'm not sure, I don’t know.” Eren shrugged helplessly, looking at his alpha for help.

“Well you had one as we got ready, a few in the car on the way over, and then at the front desk so about 10 minutes? It’s hard to tell, because you seemed to be in pain constantly.” the alpha counted. Eren nodded his agreement.

“Something like that.” the omega said quietly.

“Alright, it’s not too bad, if you don’t know for sure, we will find out soon enough, that’s what CTG is for. How long have they been lasting for?” Krista moved on in her questionnaire.

Eren shrugged. “Not long.” he tried.

“Oh no bullshit.” Krista laughed, making Levi smile sadly at Eren’s words. It was obvious as day, that Eren was putting up a show, that he was in denial somehow.

“Well, we'll find out anyway, after I've checked you over, I'm going to attach a couple of sensors to you. One to keep track of the baby's heartbeat and one to register your contractions, so we can monitor your kid closely and how we will detect whether your baby is responding well to the stronger contractions or not. If the test shows that your baby's heart rate is decreasing too much with the contractions, the doctor will give you a drug to lessen their strength. If this doesn't help, well we’ll find out if we get to it. Nothing to worry about for now.” the beta explained patiently.

“Right. I know what a CTG is.” he mumbled, averting his gaze and tried to get closer to Levi and further away from Krista quietly.

“So let's get this show on the road, shall we. If you want to get on the bed and get comfy.” The midwife advised, watching Eren shuffling back slightly, still out of her reach, but he was doing as told by the beta, even though he was still clinging to his alpha and not too welcoming towards Krista. It wasn’t like he didn’t like her, she was polite and forthcoming and smiling all the time, but he rather dealt with Dr. Ral, than with any of the hospital staff.

“Well, time is up Eren. Those boxershorts of yours will need to come off, now.” krista pointed out, trying to pull a joke, that wasn’t funny at all.

“I don't want to get the bed wet.” Eren stalled, blushing with embarrassment as he tried to avoid eye contact with the beta  and got up again, legs shaking and seeking Levi’s touch.

“It's fine, don’t you worry about it. There are worse things than just that. Plus we have precautions dear.” Krista laughed, as she pulled back the blankets of the bed and walked over to a cupboard on the other side of the room, opening it and pulling out a blue square mat.

“This is to protect the bed and we got enough of those stocked right there, so that’s dealt with. If you want to get the boxers off and onto the bed now, we can start to sort you out.” she smiled, as she placed it in the middle of the bed sheet, before raising the head of the bed slightly with quick practiced hands. Eren was still following Krista’s every move with growing unease and rather leaned on Levi, than making any motion to actually climb back on the bed, as Krista ordered him to. No one had told him, that this was necessary for the C-section. Couldn’t they just do it like Dr. Ral had explained it to him at his last visit? Nothing was going as planned and Eren felt out of his depth.

Levi hugged his omega briefly, talking quietly in French to get Eren to ease up and comply. He got him sitting on the edge of the bed again, keeping a string of reassurance going, as he carefully began pulling his boxers down under the gown, causing Eren to blush. He pulled the pad out of the boxers.

“Is there somewhere to throw the used pad?” Levi asked.

“Clinical waste is in that bin.” the blonde beta replied,  pointing over to the yellow bin by the door.

Levi made quick work of throwing it away, before walking back over and helping his mate to get settled on the bed.

“Okay. Now what I'm going to do Eren, is I’m going to have a feel and see how dilated you are.” Krista commented. pulling on a pair of gloves. The omega flinched at the snap of the rubber gloves against skin, fidgeting on the bed, before quickly reaching over again, grabbing for Levi’s hand to hold on tight.

“Can you lay down on your side please and pull your knees up, as far as possible.”  the CNM nurse instructed gently. Eren carefully laid back, admitting defeat to the beta, before slowly rolling onto his side, facing his alpha, as he curled his knees up, as best as he could. He felt exposed and vulnerable like this and not seeing what Krista was up to, wasn’t helping much. He wanted to run off right then and hide away somewhere. This felt wrong on so many levels and he couldn’t help the tears watering his eyes.

“Thanks, so there’s no need to be afraid. I will do exactly just what I told you and I promise this won’t hurt.” Krista said gently, locking eyes with Levi for a  second, to get the alpha’s approval. She lifted the gown at Eren’s back, before squeezing some lubricant onto her fingers.

“Just relax, Eren. It might be a bit cold. Sorry about that.” Krista murmured soothingly, gently placing one hand on Eren's hip to keep him from fidgeting, before finding his entrance with skilled lubed fingers.

Levi squeezed Eren's hand reassuringly, as his omega blushed, knowing how embarrassed he was. He heard him let out a small gasp, followed by a quiet whimper, as Krista pushed two of her fingers in.

“You’re doing so good. Such a good omega, mon cher.” Levi praised with a soft smile.

Eren was biting down on his lip hard, to the point that he almost could taste blood and nodded, as his scent shifted into slight fear.

“Okay. That’s it for now.” Krista smiled. pulling her fingers out carefully, but Eren winced, nevertheless. He really just wanted that hand on his hip to be gone too. Levi was allowed to touch him like that, that was Levi his alpha, his mate and that was okay, but Krista was a stranger and Eren didn’t like it at all.

“You're about 4 centimetres dilated at the moment, so you're definitely in the first stages of labor, but it means you've got a while to go yet.” The beta pulled her gloves off and threw them into the yellow bin, as Eren rolled over onto his back.

“Let's lift you up a bit, buddy. But don’t go flying.” Krista joked, walking back over. She waited for Eren to sit up, before lifting the head of the bed to a 45° degree angle.

“That should feel a bit better.” she smiled gently, as she pulled the blanket over the omega's legs. Eren nodded, a shy smile playing around his lips, before he screwed his face up again in a wave of pain.

“Now, we’ll get these sensors on you, so we can see what's happening inside that lovely bump of yours.” Krista explained, fiddling with the belts and cables of the CTG machine. She walked over to the cupboard and pulled out 2 small round pads.

“I'm going to need you to lift your gown for me once more.” the beta instructed, peeling the plastic off the back of one of the pads. Eren blushed again and pulled the blanket up further whilst trying to pull his gown out from underneath it.

“Alright, we're going to need one about here.” Krista pointed to a patch of skin, as Eren's bump appeared. She gently stuck one of the pads on Eren's stomach, close to his belly button, securing it with a belt and connecting the cables with it.

“And the other one goes right down here. So we’re all ready, set to go.” Krista smiled, pulling the plastic off the other pad and sticking it low down on the omega’s stomach, fastening the other belt and getting the cables in place. Eren pulled his gown back down quickly, as soon as Krista’s hands had left him.

“Let's make sure they're working properly.” the blonde winked, switching on the machine next to his bed. They both stared over at it, as the beta pressed a few buttons on the machine.

“Here we’ve got the baby's heartbeat, and this line should register your contractions, so we can keep track on how long they last and how regular they come.” his midwife said, pointing to the line on the screen moving up and down, indicating their kid’s heartbeat and the other, that was currently flat and supposed to monitor the contractions.

“I think there's one coming.” Eren hissed leaning forward slightly. Levi frowned at the line that wasn't moving.

“Yeah sounds about right, buddy.” Krista asserted, watching as the line began to spike slightly. Levi stared at it fascinated, leaning closer to his omega to rub his back soothingly, as Eren started moaning quietly.

“You’ve got this, mon cher. Just relax.” Levi whispered gently, drawing circles in the skin of the omega’s lower back with a soft pressure, to help him through.

“Everything seems to be working just fine. Your contractions last about 20 seconds at the moment.” Krista explained, looking at the print, as the flat line returned. Eren sighed in obvious relief and laid back against the bed again.

“All that’s left to do now is to wait. We’ve got this.” The beta assured them.

“Urgh great isn’t it?” Eren bitched a little.

“Yeah, I can imagine it will be a little tough on your part though. The doctor should be here soon, she'll probably want to check you over as well and will decide how we proceed from there on.” Krista mentioned with an angelic smile.

“Nice.” Eren whispered sarcastically.

“For now, feel free to wander around the room a little, just don’t disconnect the machine, or we’ll rush in on you, because it sets the alarm off.” Krista  stated. “You’ve got a private bathroom through that door over there.” Levi looked over as Krista pointed to the door opposite the bed.

“And we set you up with a coffee machine, just over there, because it usually will be a long run and you can get tired halfway through. We don’t want you sleeping through the birth of your kid. Believe me I witnessed that happening and the outcome was heartbreaking. Just don’t ask me, how they managed to sleep through all the commotion going on.” she pointed to the right side of the room next to the entrance door.

“Oh, well, for anything else we’ve got you covered with a vending machine just down the corridor or the cafeteria downstairs.”

“Alright, thanks Mrs. Reiss.” Levi offered.

“Just Krista is fine.” she laughed at the alpha. “ No coffee for you though, just stick to water, so you don't dehydrate.” the beta admonished Eren softly.

“Fucking great.” Eren grumped, rolling his eyes.

“I'll be able to monitor you from outside, so I'll be keeping an eye on you. But for now, you don't need me hanging around, so I'll leave you to have some peace and quiet.” Krista winked with a bright smile.

“Thank you.” Levi replied politely.

“If you do need me for anything though, just press this button here and I'll be straight back. Well, also use it, if there is anything wrong of course.” she added, pointing to the small red button on the wall next to Eren’s head.

“Will do.” Levi said sincerely, hoping they wouldn’t need to use it.

“And try to get as much rest as you can for now, you're in for a long night and possibly a long day as well.” the beta explained looking firmly at Eren. The omega looked shocked at that news. What was Krista talking about? He was scheduled for a C-section, so why couldn’t they just move it forward to like right the fuck now? - thank you very much.

“Your first kid usually takes about anything from 8 hours, but can take much longer even, as long as it doesn’t take more than 24 hours to arrive, you’ll be fine.” Krista explained calmly. Yeah fuck you very much, Eren knew that, but no way in hell would he push that kid out of his ass or whatever. Just No! No! No! Didn’t the beta get the memo or what?

“Is it possible to use my phone in here? I need to warn some people and set stuff up, since this was not planned.” Levi asked, gesturing around the room vaguely.

“Sure, no problem, so far. Just don’t take too long.” Krista chuckled. “Any other questions for now?” She looked at both of them, to make sure she didn’t miss a hint.

“No, I don’t think so.” Levi answered, before looking over to Eren, who shook his head in denial of the question. Yes he had a lot of questions alright, but he doubted Krista could answer any of those right now, so they watched the beta leave and close the door silently, leaving the bonded pair to themselves.

Eren groaned in pain, as another contraction ripped him and he was doubting anything the beta had explained by now, because fuck you very much, he wouldn’t endure this pain for 8 or more hours. He already felt ready to break. Eren whimpered, tugging on Levi’s arm to get him to come closer, so he could hide his face in his alpha’s elbow.

“She seems nice at least. It could have been worse, eh?” Levi acknowledged, carding his fingers through Eren’s matted chestnut hair, after the petite blonde had left.

“Yeah, so what.” Eren whined.

“It will be ok, mon cher.” he promised, feeling helplessness tug at his heartstrings, at the sight of Eren in despair.

“So, do you mind, if I call maman, maybe the Zacharias too?” Levi asked with a smile, as he pulled his phone out of his sweatpants pocket.

“Just maman.” Eren huffed.

“Okay smol titan. She can tell the other right? You know she will only start crying at the news anyway. But it’s not bad, eh. We finally get to meet our beautiful kid.” Levi made sure to get Eren’s approval.

“Yeah.” the omega sighed, screwing his face up again and burrowing into Levi’s elbow, as his alpha pressed a few buttons on his phone, before putting it to his ear.

“I don't think anyone's going to be too happy about being woken up in the middle of the night, never saw that one coming, did we?” Levi joked, as he listened to the phone ringing on the other end of the line, waiting for his maman to pick up.

“She'll be too excited to shout, when she knows why you’re calling.” Eren puffed.

“Right. You’re doing fine Eren.” Levi murmured, gently stroking his omega’s bump, all fond silver grey eyes and pride in his features.

“Salut maman. Je suis désolé de te réveiller.” Levi said softly. Eren smiled at Levi’s voice, it was so different when he spoke in French, kind of earnest and more serious than usual. Levi assured his maman, that everything was fine and that he only wanted to let them know, that their kid was on his way and obviously couldn’t wait any longer. Eren saw him smile, as his alpha delivered the news and even though he barely understood a word, he knew exactly, what Levi was talking about, probably giving Kuchel all the juicy details of how far along he was, when his water broke and everything that went down so far with their midwife, summing up everything Krista had said and that they were currently waiting for the doctor to show up. Or at best Dr. Ral to stop by.

Levi reached out and squeezed Eren's hand.

“Okay maman.” Levi switched back to English for his omega’s benefit, pausing for a moment, before he continued with “Yeah it's probably best...yeah I'll tell him...Thank you for taking care of it. À tantôt maman.” Levi ended the call, hanging up before looking at Eren again.

“They're going to take the first flight out this morning and will be here later.” his alpha explained, making Eren smile at that.

“They probably would only be in the way before then, huh.” Eren joked a little, grateful that Levi didn’t get it wrong.

“And maman told me, they're thinking of you and sending you all their love. Can't wait to meet their grandson obviously, eh. They love you Eren and so do I, and you’re going to do a great job giving birth to our son.” Levi kissed him softly.

“I wish he would be already here, it would mean, that the painful bit would already be over and done with.” Eren huffed, hands cradling his baby bump, making Levi chuckle, as his kissed him again. Eren smiled love sick, before groaning again and leaning slightly forward.

“You’re having another contraction, mon cher?” Levi asked a little dumbly, but gently, rubbing his omega’s back again to help with the ache and reminding him to breathe through it. Eren moaned quietly, breathing deeply.

“It'll soon be gone.” Levi murmured. He glanced over at the machine, observing the line showing the contractions closely, as it began to fade again.

“That's better Eren. It’s nearly gone. You’re doing such a good job. I’m so proud of you. You’re such a good omega.” Levi praised softly.

Eren sighed, sniffling a little and basking in Levi’s maple scent, as he sat back up, allowing him to move his hand, before laying back down again.

“Why don't you try and get some rest, while you still can, as Krista suggested?” Levi murmured. Eren gave him a small smile.

“But, what if the doctor shows up?” Eren asked, concern lacing his voice.

“I’ll let you know and they will wake you up anyway, I suppose. Try to get some sleep. I will watch over you, smol titan.” Levi soothed.

“Yeah.” Eren yawned a little, as he snuggled into the bed, rolling onto his side as best as he could, facing Levi and holding onto his alpha’s hand.

“I'll still be here, I promise.” Levi murmured, lips only inches away from Eren’s, before kissing him gently once more and getting comfortable on the hard chair he was dealt. He watched Eren's eyes close slowly and his breath even out, giving into the exhaustion, as sleep washed over him.

He sat in silence for a while, alternating between watching Eren doze and watching the lines on the machine, until Eren moaned softly.

“Shsh,” Levi murmured, like he had done all the other times before, standing up and  leaning over Eren, as he rubbed his back, listening to Eren breathing deeply, in through his nose and out through his mouth.

“Just a little bit longer, mon cher. You can do it. It’s nearly over.” Levi mumbled under his breath, as he watched the machine, until the line went flat again, before sitting back down.

“You’re good?” He asked gently. Eren nodded sleepily, feeling Levi squeeze his hand reassuringly, as he mumbled. “Good.” 


	25. How to deal with it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might have to rush posting the last chapters, because I have surgery in 2 weeks, or will need a break for the last bit or 2. I apologize in advance.  
> Okay here we go big bang Part 2

They both flinched as the door was opened rudely and an older brisk lady walked in.

“Good morning, how's everything going in here?” said the OBGYN on duty, as she walked into the room.

“We’re holding up.” Levi snapped in distaste of the other alpha’s entrance.

“Painfully.” Eren mumbled, groaning into Levi’s elbow, where he was still holding his alpha’s hand hostage for the past hours it seemed.

“Well as you've gotten me out of bed in the middle of the night, how about we check you over?” she barked, striding over to Eren’s bedside, her heels echoing loudly in the room and mixing with the soft hum and beeping noises of the CTG machine in an ugly staccato.

“No, I don’t want. Levi please.” Eren begged, digging his nails into his alpha’s arm. He wanted them to call Dr. Ral, he could hold on, as long as it would take for her to get here and sort this mess out, but he didn’t want to be touched by this brisk unwelcoming woman, let alone undress in front of her. She scared him and his scent shifted enough, that he more or less announced that subconsciously to the room at large.

Levi frowned at Krista, who had followed the doctor inside.

“I've come to see how it's done properly.” Krista winked in an attempt to ease the atmosphere. The doctor pressed some buttons on the machine and looked closely at it.

“Well the kid seems to be doing fine in there, contractions coming pretty regularly.” she commented coldly, turning to face Krista and not even glancing at Eren. Totally oblivious to his distress.

“Notes?” She ordered, her mouth turned down, looking at the beta over the brim of her glasses. Krista reached over, taking them out of the holder on the wall, and passed them over to her.

“Right. At least someone, who does something right in this shit hole.” she muttered under her breath in disdain, looking down on Eren’s notes with disinterest, just scanning them briefly.

Eren sniffled into Levi’s side, who had tugged his omega safely as close to his side, as the machine would allow, caressing Eren’s back, trying to comfort him, his gaze never leaving the doctor on duty, whose first impression got worse by the minute, to the point that not even Levi wanted her to touch his omega in any way.

“OK. Let's get this over with. Roll onto your back, so I can check you over. I don’t have all day.” the doctor ordered, eventually passing the notes back off to Krista Reiss. Eren slowly shuffled over, until he was laying on his back, even though he didn’t want to, it was hard to refuse an alpha’s order that strong and commanding like this one. He cried nevertheless, sobbing harder than before and feeling exposed, even though his knuckles were turning white from the force he used to hold onto the duvet. She tried to pull the blanket down slightly with no use, huffing at Eren impatiently.

“You know you better cooperate, we can just leave you to it anyway.” she snarled.

“Doctor!” Levi growled.

“Yeah like what?” she spat, locking gazes with Levi.

“I think your behavior is not really helping things and I would like to ask you to contact Dr. Ral instead. She treated Eren before and knows what’s best for him. I don’t really agree to you handling my omega’s needs, nor my kids needs right at this moment.” Levi challenged, jaw clenched tight, as he used his best captain voice, polite but firm and full of authority.

“Fine! Why didn’t you do this from the start anyway? I’m not dealing with this shit!” she barked at Krista, as if it was her fault, before throwing her hands into the air and leaving the room with the door slamming shut behind her, muttering under her breath about spoiled wanna be celebreties, pushing some fucking rubber around on the ice. Levi was fuming, Eren was crying hard now, having curled up at the loud voices and Levi climbed onto the bed with his omega, cradling Eren into his arms, as best as he could and glaring at the midwife. It was a tight fit, but he just had to be close and protect his omega, leg room or comfort be doomed, as long as Eren was comfortable and safe from that horrible doctor.

“I’m sorry Mr. Ackerman. She’s such a bitch sometimes. I will make sure to get Dr. Ral to you, as fast as possible. Excuse me, please.” she rushed out in a breath, before leaving them, her footsteps echoing down the hall as she ran to probably do as ordered.

“Oh Eren, I’m so sorry mon cher, so sorry. She’s gone now. I will try calling Dr. Ral too. She will take care of you. I won’t let this other bitch touch you, ever again. You’re okay. You hear me, you will be doing fine.” Levi murmured soothingly, switching into French halfway through, carding his fingers through Eren’s soft chestnut hair and holding him safe in his arms, as best as he could, when his body tensed and he struggled through a contraction. It seemed to take forever, but the longer the silence went on, the more Eren relaxed, until he released at least one of Levi’s arms, allowing him to make a short call to Dr. Ral’s office, where he was assured, that she was already on her way and should arrive shortly. He tells Eren that much and feels his sobs lessen. A glance on the clock confirms, that it’s almost 6 o'clock in the morning, which just makes Levi even more pissy, considering the bitch accused them of ‘waking her up in the middle of the fucking night’ , when they had left Eren, to deal by himself for the last couple of hours and they had been the one’s, not getting much sleep, if at all.

Seriously screw her!

Eren deserved better than that and it was an embarrassing testimony, that Dr. Ral had to come in, because she was the only one competent and trustworthy enough. Levi had taken to the woman over the past weeks, she was the only one he trusted in handling his omega accordingly, the only professional, he would trust with his kid too.

Barely 10 minutes later, there was a soft knock on the door, before Dr. Petra Ral entered their room. Her scrubs and coat a little askew, from being pulled on in a haste probably and a soft warm small on her face, with her hair a pure picture of the world’s greatest bed - head - in - a - hurry - bun.

“Good morning, Eren. Morning Levi. I came over as quickly as I could, after they’ve called.” she said softly, approaching them carefully.

“Good morning Dr. Ral. Thank you for taking time.” Levi answered with a strained smile. His eyes had dark shadows underneath and he looked as stressed as Eren, who was a little mess on his own and blinked at her, before groaning in pain and hiding his face again.

“I’m sorry for the turbulences. Your midwife just told me about the trouble. If I had known, I would have shown up sooner. How are you feeling Eren?” she asked gently, taking a seat on the vacant swiveling stool at his bedside.

“Hurts.” Eren mumbled pitifully, tears wetting his eyelashes, as he cried silently, fingers not easing their hold on Levi’s biceps.

“Okay, I understand. Can I have a look at things, or do you need another minute?” she asked softly, waiting for Eren to nod and unroll himself. “Levi can join you again in a second, but for now, we both need you to relax and roll on your back. You think you can do this for me?” she asked, reading the print of the CTG carefully.

“Yeah.” Eren whispered, slowly following her instructions, but keeping a hold on Levi’s hand, who didn’t let go, but got of the bed, to make room for their doctor to move around freely.

“That’s good. Great job. Krista handed me your notes and I will just see how things have progressed since then, before we talk about the options some more, alright?” she praised, waiting for them both to nod in confirmation, before pulling on a fresh pair of gloves, from the box on the desk.

“First I need to have a feel of your bump. It’s not going to hurt, I promise. It might be a bit uncomfortable and a lot of pressure, but it’s not supposed to hurt you or your kid.” she explained with a smile. She pulled the blanket down slightly and gently rested her hands on him, pushing firmly, but carefully.

“Well your kid's in position, that’s good news. Now, I just need to check how dilated you are so far.” she smiled folding her hands back into her lap and waiting patiently for Eren to move.

“Again?” Eren sighed.

“I'm just checking, to see if you've progressed, since you came in this night. Would you roll back onto your side for me?” she assured him. Eren sighed, as he slowly rolled back onto his side, facing Levi, his teal green eyes big as plates and scent spiking back into fear and embarrassment.

“If you'd like to pull your knees up now. Try as best as you can and we will work with that. It will be done quicker than you realize we even started Eren. On the good side, the quicker we get this done, the quicker you can get some rest.” she said, pulling on some new gloves.

Eren pulled his knees up, tensing slightly, as he felt her hand on his hip, it was just a feather light touch, no hard pressure like Krista’s had been and he could feel her thumb moving in comforting circles on his skin.

“Just try to relax,” Petra said gently. Levi smiled softly at him, gently stroking Eren’s cheek, as the omega gasped at the intrusion. It did indeed not hurt, it was just uncomfortable for a few seconds, before it was already gone.

“See, you did fine Eren. We’re already done with the examination.” she said pulling her gloves off and trashing them in the waste bin. “The devastating news for you is: you're still at 4 centimetres dilated, so it looks like your kid isn't arriving anytime soon.” she sighed a little sad and with feeling for Eren’s distress. The omega sighed and pulled the blanket over himself again.

“I'm going to be around, but for now I'm going to check with your midwife and charts, unless you’ve got some questions right now.” she smiled.

“Well I have one to be honest.” Levi started hesitantly. He knew Dr. Ral might not be able to answer it right away, since she still had to have a look at all of the notes and documents, but it was worth a try.

“Shot Levi. What is it?”

“Can’t we like move the C-section forward to now, or is there a reason no one really did anything so far?” the alpha asked.

“Ah, right. Did nobody tell you?” she asked, scandalized a little.

“Tell us about what?” Levi urged, seeing Dr. Ral roll her eyes and sigh deeply.

“Sorry you did not hear me say this, but they really suck here. The reason why no one has been to see Eren about the C-section is, that first of all, they probably didn’t know, even though you might have told them.” she assured Levi, knowing he would have taken care of such important information to be delivered. “And they tend to forget about it pretty soon anyway. The other reason is that Eren went into labor early and arrived while already dilating, with his water broken and everything. Considering the complications we had earlier in his pregnancy, it’s safer to let the labor progress on it’s own time for now, because it’s hard to tell, if we would get into more complications, would we choose to operate right now. The laceration could get worse during a C-section, since it’s no longer buffered by the water, or there could be other tissue complications. We are just playing it as safe for the both of them as possible by now and, if safe means Eren has to give birth naturally, then that’s what it will be like sadly. But if he doesn’t progress in the next hours, we might have to schedule an emergency C-section anyway, because everything past 24h since start of labor, has a higher risk of infection for your kid, since it’s no longer protected by the amoniac fluid. Same goes, should your kid’s heart rate decrease for whatever reason, or Eren getting serious complications. I want both of you to be happy ever after, so I’m sorry to say, you will have to deal for now Eren. I can check, if we can at least give you an epidural, but that might conflict with your recovery rate. I will tell you more about it later, after checking your file. Does that answer all your questions for now?” Dr. Ral asked kindly.

“Yes, thank you so much for explaining this to us. It makes a lot more sense now.” Levi replied, being sorry for charging on her, but also grateful that someone finally answered to the elephant in the room. Well they were fucked but at least fucked for positive reasons, or something like that. Eren smiled a little sadly at her, but still with gratitude in his eyes.

“Alright, I'm sure Krista's done an excellent job of looking after you so far, so for now I'm going to leave you in her capable hands, so just buzz if you need anything.” Petra smiled.

“Okay.” Levi smiled back at her, as Eren started groaning again, a weak “Thanks.” coming from his direction, before he was panting through another contraction. Time seemed to pass by executionally slowly for the both of them, with the anticipation thick in the air

 

“So how's everything going in here?” Krista asked, as she walked through the door around 9 a.m.

“It hurts.” Eren groaned in reply, panting heavily. He felt too fucked out to even consider anything else, to describe how he was doing, or take more time to take stock of his body. Levi was lying next to him on the small hospital bed, spooning him and rubbing soothing circles in his back and neck every now and again. Eren had dozed some more, but never really falling asleep completely and neither did his alpha.

Krista was checking over the print out carefully and refilling Eren’s water glass, before cutting to the chase.

“The contractions are about 5 minutes apart now and they're lasting for about 55 seconds.” she stated, sounding satisfied by that.

“How's the pain?” Krista asked, pressing a few buttons on the CTG machine and readjusting one of the sensors on Eren’s belly.

“How the fuck do you think it is?” Eren snapped, biting his lips again, as another contraction hit him. The blonde CNM nurse just laughed softly in reply, having had heard worse than that.

“Well the good news is, your contractions seem to be getting stronger. Do you think you can go for longer without pain relief, Eren?” the beta asked gently.

“I want those damn drugs! Anything! Give me! Gimme fucking please!” the omega whined, plea ending in another small sob.

“I thought, you didn't want any?” Levi murmured surprised, since they never talked about it again, after Dr. Ral had mentioned, it would screw up Eren’s recovery time.

“It hurts, it fucking hurts Levi!” Eren sobbed, before growling: “Give me the motherfucking drugs!!!”

Krista chuckled amused, while Levi looked at his omega in a little shock. He knew Eren could be salty and bitchy, but wow he must be really feeling it, if he started growling this pissed off.

“Don't worry, he'll get a lot worse before it's over.” the beta laughed.

“Fucking awesome!” Levi mused, rolling his eyes.

“Dr. Ral signed you off for some gas and air at least. I'll bring it to you after I've checked you over. We normally try to leave it as long as possible, otherwise you won't feel the effects, when you really need it, but your contractions are quite strong, so we'll make an exception. It’s an exception in general, because we couldn’t give you Pethidine, since it would make you sick and administering Diamorphine would actually prolong your labor, which is out of question and it does more bad than good anyway. So be glad your pain relief options are very limited buddy. You hit it good with Dr. Ral. also Entonox is not that usual during labor, so be glad we are stocked really good.” Krista explained.

“See Eren, the drugs are coming.” Levi chuckled lightly, noticing that Eren's breathing started to calm down.

“Let's get you checked in-between contractions.” Krista ordered gently. Eren laid back with a sigh.

“Should I turn to my side again?” he mumbled, already trying to move in position, but was stopped by Krista’s warm hand on his hip.

“Actually not this time. Can you sit up for me?” the midwife asked. Eren looked at her confused, as he struggled to sit up.

“What I’m going to do is, I'm going to put the head of your bed up and I want you to turn around, climb on your knees and lean against it. Okay? Funny side up is, it even helps to speed up your labor.” Krista winked, raising the head of Eren’s bed. She pulled the blankets right back, while Levi helped Eren to climb onto his knees, before slowly shuffling around, leaning onto Levi for support.

“How are you feeling now? Any better?” the beta asked, as Eren leant against the head of the bed, waiting for the omega to nod in confirmation.

“A bit, maybe.” Eren mumbled quietly.

“Perfect. We can work with that. If you squat down slightly, as best as you can, it will make it a lot easier for me to check you over quickly.” Krista smiled, pulling on a pair of gloves. Eren fidgeted a little, before sitting back on his knees and resting his head heavily against the bed.

“Just relax and let's see how things are progressing. I’ll be quick I promise.” his midwife murmured encouragingly, resting one small hand on Eren's lower back. Levi squeezed Eren’s hand in support, watching Krista slipping two fingers in, moving them slightly around, before quickly pulling them back out.

“Good sport. You're about 4 centimetres dilated.” Krista stated with a small frown, as she pulled her gloves off, looking over to Levi, who was frowning as well.

“Isn't that good?” Eren groaned confused, having long lost track of progress and whatever else. He just wanted it to be over and have his baby boy.

“Well I would of hoped things would have been a little bit further along by now. Nothing much has changed since this morning.” Krista told him, throwing the gloves into the trash and taking notes on Eren’s file.

“Ow.” Eren whined.

“You should try to relax a bit more, the purpose of contractions is to stretch your muscles to allow your kid to be born. If you keep tensing up, then you're fighting your kid and only prolong your own adventure.” krista explained gently.

“What the fuck you think I’m doing! I'm trying!” Eren hissed at her. “But it fucking hurts!” he shouts.

“I know it does. You need to try regardless.” Krista encouraged the omega.

“I don’t want to shit all over the place.” Eren mumbled pitifully, face flaming hot with embarrassment of having said that out loud. The midwife laughed at that, while Levi grimaced in second hand embarrassment.

“Not going to happen buddy, and if, it would have already happened. I can tell you that by now, it’s too late for you to let loose, your uterus is blocking up that path. You will have fun getting to get going at all, in the next days after giving birth, that’s why we usually offer you Enema afterwards. Hopefully the gas and air will help, I'll just go and get it.” Krista added.

“Thank you Krista.” Levi nodded and watched as the beta walked out, before turning his attention back to Eren.

“So how are you really holding up?” the alpha asked quietly, after the door was closed.

“I'm tired… so tired Levi. Also still a bit scared.” Eren mumbled with teary eyes. Levi sighed, carding his fingers through Eren’s sweaty hair and kissed him gently.

“I know, mon cher, but everything's going well and you're doing amazing. You’re such a good omega. So brave having our kid, mon cher.” he whispered.

Eren gave him a small smile, as Krista walked back in, wheeling a canister behind herself.

“Here you go, with greetings from the dentist's two floors down, borrowed with much of love.” Krista joked, setting up the canister next to the head of the bed.

“What do you prefer, the mask or the mouthpiece, Eren?” She held both up to him.

“Is there a difference?” Eren asked confused, he usually got nice injections at the team’s dentist if his mouth needed resetting care.

“No, not at all, just personal preferences.” the beta smiled.

“Mouthpiece.” Eren murmured, grimacing slightly, as another contraction ripped through him.

“Another one? Well we better get you set up.” Krista grimaced in sympathy, while Levi went back to rubbing his omega’s back soothingly. Eren groaned loudly, nodding slightly and tried to breathe through it, the way his LMC had taught him to and the folks at the Lamaze classes repeated over and over again, until he had actual nightmares about it for a week and felt like the instructions would be bleeding out of his ear.

“Nearly done, ready, set, here you go bud.” Krista said quickly, attaching the mouthpiece and offering it up to Eren, who quickly grabbed it and put it in his mouth, like his life would depend on it, or actually his sanity, which wasn’t far from the truth at the moment, if you asked him.

“Just take a deep breath in, hold it and slowly exhale. Just try to keep your breathing slow and deep over all. Don’t hang onto it for too long, or it will make you dizzy. It’s only supposed to be used in short bursts, otherwise you might puke all over the place. We don’t want that to happen.” Krista mentioned.

Eren moaned, as he breathed deeply, resting his head against the pillow, facing Levi with a dopey smile.

“That's it.” Krista commented, looking at the print out, frowning slightly. Levi glanced at her, before quickly concentrating back on Eren again.

“Breathe through it, mon cher. You’ve got this. It will be over soon enough.” he said gently. He continued stroking his back, until Eren pulled the mouthpiece out of his mouth.

“Better?” His alpha asked. Eren made a silly face at him and grinned, before nodding enthusiastically.

“I think someone likes the gas and air.” Krista chuckled.

“Just don’t chew on the mouthpiece too much, like you used to do with your mouthguards.” the alpha added, getting a big pout from Eren in return.

“We’ve got enough of them just in case, but yeah better don’t use them as a chew toy.” the little blonde smirked. Levi laughed at that and caught the beta’s eye, before Krista was back to frowning at the machine.

“I need to change the sensor, it's not registering the contractions, as well as it should.” the midwife explained reaching into the cupboard, where they kept the pads stored. Levi nodded, finally getting, what had Krista so worried. The beta pulled out another sensor and rolled back to the bed on her swiveling stool, her scrubs crackling as she went.

“Can you lift your gown for me, so we can attach the new one quickly?” she asked Eren, already peeling the pad off the backside. The omega sat back and pulled his gown up.

“Well, Levi can you give me a hand? Would you pull the old one off for me?” Krista advised, looking over at the alpha with a small smile. Levi shrugged his shoulders, before glancing down, seeing the sensor stuck under Eren's very hard erection. Levi could feel his face flush with embarrassment, as his eyes widened, looking back at Krista.

“Don't worry, it's entirely normal, the baby is putting pressure on his prostate and we all know how that ends.” Krista laughed kindly. Levi rolled his eyes at that gently and slightly reached over, moving Eren's hard on out of the way, to pull the pad off.

“Ow.” Eren whined, trying to slap Levi’s hand away from his over sensitive dick. Because there was nothing sexual about it, he was just embarrassed, since he hadn’t even realized something was going on downstairs, the pain was just too distracting and consuming all his attention.

“I think, I'll stick this one over here and see how it works. Now we just need to wait for another contraction, to see if we are lucky enough, for the signal to be registered.” krista laughed, pulling the plastic off the new sensor completely and sticking it on Eren's bump, as far away from his aching cock as possible. She looked back at the monitor, as Eren dropped his gown and leant back against the bed, cheeks still pink but fading slightly, now that his private area was covered up again.

“What about the problem.” Levi fumbled with his words and nodded down to Eren’s crotch.

“It'll go down, once the pressure eases off on its own. Either that or well, the pressure will get too much and it will be taken care of.” Krista shrugged, focused on following the lines of the print out, to check for anything out of the usual.

“You mean?” Levi stuttered, still flustered, while Eren just ignored them and the issue all together, having closed his eyes to get a moment of rest, without being manhandled by his contractions. Krista nodded with a smile.

“Alright, then.” Levi asserted, gaze lingering on Eren, who just poked his index finger jokingly at his alpha's hand, as if to say: ‘I told you so! Now stop making a big deal out of it. I didn’t even know it was there.’

“Actually it helps sometimes to take care of it, some say. The release of the pressure will help for sure, but in addition to that, it can also be relaxing enough to allow things to speed up, even for just a little bit. Whatever works best for you. Walking around is another option, even if your room to move around is restricted by the length of our very short machine cables. So as long as you take care and don’t pull anything off, you will be fine.” the beta admitted.

“So what you’re saying is, I should take care of it.” Levi deadpanned, suddenly all serious.

“It's up to you both, what you do about it. Let’s leave it at that, but tissues are over there, if you need them.” Krista chuckled, pointing to the desk at the side.

Levi laughed and blushed again, before a loud groan from Eren distracted him enough, to avert his attention back to the task at hand. He went back to massaging Eren's lower back, while his omega quickly put the mouthpiece back in.

“Well everything is working just fine. I'll be back in about an hour, to check in on you again, otherwise just buzz.” Krista smiled, making her exit.

“I will buzz if anything happens.” Levi assured her, one hand still stroking Eren's back.

“Sure. See you later, I think we still have at least  a few more hours left to go. Have fun.” Krista winked at Levi, before walking out.

Levi couldn’t help but feel flustered at the suggestions, given that Eren hadn’t been too horny, ever since he got pregnant, or well you could also just say, not up to much in bed in general. They had sex when Eren was in heat and when Levi finally claimed him, but other than that, they were more like an old married couple, minus the sex, except for a handy or a blowie here and there. It wasn’t particularly a downside, but a surprise and made it just that tiny bit harder to deal with the situation at hand. He didn’t want to throw himself at Eren and the way his omega was currently staring at Levi, as if he was a two headed monster all of a sudden, wasn’t really inviting either.

He hesitated and kept his hands to himself, apart from rubbing Eren’s back when another contraction hit and the more the time went on, the louder Eren was whining.

“Leviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!”

“I know, mon cher. I know.” his alpha was quick to reassure him, patting Eren’s hair and nervously tapping his foot. The waiting slowly got to him.

“LEVI!!! I want cuddles.” Eren whined, teal green eyes fixing his alpha sternly and stubbornly. The small crease on his omega’s forehead was becoming more pronounced by the second, without adding the exaggerated pout Eren was sporting, to get his point across. That in itself was a new development, usually Levi would sense, when Eren needed or wanted a cuddle, so Eren never actually had to ask for it. He wasn’t the demanding type per se and still hesitant about asking for things he wanted, to hear him whine his request sternly, hit a nerve with Levi. He practically jumped off the chair, he had been sitting on and climbed back onto the bed with his omega, to gather him up into his arms, as best as possible.

“It’s okay, I’m here. I’m always with you.” Levi was quick to point out, peppering Eren’s cheek with butterfly kisses, up to his hairline and back down his jaw. Eren made a mewling sound at that, before groaning loudly again. Levi was holding his mouthpiece and quickly slipped it between his omega’s lips, waiting for Eren to start breathing deeply through it.

“There you go, mon cher.”  Levi murmured in his best gentle alpha voice.

“It hurts.” Eren hissed around the mouthpiece, sobbing silently.

“It'll be gone in a minute. I promise. It’s already fading.” Levi mumbled, glancing at the machine, to see the line already beginning to flatten, while still rubbing Eren’s back gently.

“Then there will be another one, and another one, and one after that... ” Eren complained, sucking on the Entonox to help with the pain.

“Yeah, mon cher, but that’s the way it goes. You want our son to be here, don’t you? So we need to finish this play to get the goal, eh.” Levi concluded.

“You hate me, don't you? You fucking hate me, Levi!” Eren sobbed.

“No I don’t! I love you, mon cher.” Levi bristled, a little taken aback by Eren’s declaration.

“Oh you do, hate me so much, making me have this kid.” Eren spat, still crying.

“Oh Eren, mon cher. Stop being silly. I could never hate you! You are amazing doing this for us, for our kid. You are the best omega.” the alpha argued softly, knowing it was most likely the hormones, making Eren this bitter. Krista had warned him, it would get worse, maybe this was the tipping point now.

“Make it stop! I can't do it, it hurts too fucking much.” Eren sobbed into Levi’s shoulder, fingers digging into his alpha’s shoulder, to the point of almost cutting skin and leaving fingerprinted bruises.

“Shh. It will get better. You can do this, mon cher. I got you. I wish I could make it stop for you. But there's no going back now, not until our kid is finally here.” Levi soothed. He looked over at the machine, watching as the contraction started to wane.

“See, it’s better now, isn’t it? Just relax for a minute.” Levi murmured into Eren’s damp hair and caressed his side. Eren just sniffled into Levi’s collar, as his breathing slowly began to calm, resting his head on Levi’s chest right over his heart, so he could listen to the lulling sound of his alpha’s heartbeat and didn’t even protests, as he leaned back to rest himself against the bed, cradling Eren’s body close.

The clock on the wall was past lunchtime and even though Levi didn’t feel particularly hungry, he knew, they had to eat, so he contemplated to take a short trip down to the vending machine, after having offered Eren his glass of water to sip at, grateful Krista kept them stocked on water.

“You want a sandwich?” Levi tried to ask.

“Do I look like I want a fucking sandwich, right the fuck now!” Eren snapped, shaking his hands, before whimpering again.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It’s just really late and you need to eat, mon cher.” Levi apologized.

“Ow, I don’t fucking care!” Eren whined, but couldn’t protest much as Levi detached himself and got to his feet sighing.

“I’m going to grab you one nonetheless.” the alpha said sternly, quickly rushing out of the room and down the hallway, while Eren turned his back to him, as he left the room. Levi hurried back, not wanting to be gone too long and practically forcing a granola bar down his dry throat, as he went. Eren  was not the only one, who needed food. Judging by the time, his parents must have arrived at O’Hare airport by now, so the alpha checked his phone quickly and clear as day, there was a text of his maman waiting for him.

 **Maman:** _“We’re staying at your house, let us know when to come over. We don’t want to be in the way. If you need anything, just text and we will bring it with us.”_

Levi answered her quick and short, before he returned and settled himself back in behind Eren on bed, the omega refused to even look at him and just shoved Levi’s hand away again, and again, until he dropped the sandwich on the table, before getting back to it after a short while, using his best alpha voice to make Eren eat at least half of it, in between panting. His omega’s face was one of disgust and pure hatred, but he dutifully had half of the sandwich and drained two glasses of water, before refusing to cooperate at all.

Levi was trying to come up with something helpful, to ease his omega’s distress and Krista’s suggestion wasn’t looking too unappealing by now. If it got Eren’s mind off things, he might actually relax enough, so they could move along.

“What do you think about giving Krista’s advice a go, see if we can speed things up a bit?” Levi enunciated quietly, settling his hand a little too high for general comfort on Eren's thigh and slowly inched upwards, to ran it underneath Eren's gown.

“Like I'm ever going to let you fucking touch me again!” Eren grunted.

“At least for now, you don't have to worry about me getting you another bun in the oven.” Levi joked and couldn’t suppress his smile. Eren jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow meanly, eyes glancing up at Levi shortly, but nevertheless with an underlying sadness.

“Eren, if you don't want to, we don't have to!” Levi insisted, he didn’t want to force Eren into anything, pleading with his omega through his eyes, even though Eren still refused to look at him.  

“I just thought it might help you, because I hate seeing you in so much pain and not being able to do anything about it. It breaks my heart and your distress is really filling up the room by now. It’s not an accusation my love, but you know people are always gossiping and you don’t want them to take this private moment away from us and sell it to the press, eh.” Levi apologized.

“Really does it for the mood Ackerman!” Eren grumped, scratching at Levi’s neck.

“I’m sorry, mon cher. Maybe just try it. Give it a go, if you don’t like it at all, we can still stop and leave it to sort itself out. You don’t have to do it.” Levi sighed.

“I don't know, it's pretty much the last thing I want to do right now.” Eren whined, feeling bad about denying Levi, who only had his best interest at heart.

“It would be more of a physical response, than a sexual one most likely, to take the pressure of. We can try it or leave it. It’s your call.” Levi offered, sliding his hand further up and resting it gently on Eren’s hip bone, just inches away from his omega’s throbbing erection. A suggestive gesture, rather than a pressuring one. Eren sighed, nuzzling at Levi’s neck and letting his alpha’s maple scent wash over him, clouding up his mind.

“We could try… just do it.” Eren ventured, feeling Levi’s hand drift closer to his cock, fingertips setting the skin they passed on fire, before wrapping themselves around the base loosely at first, giving him a few experimental tugs and tightening his hold, to stroke his dick in earnest a few seconds later. Levi kept the pace on the down low, giving Eren time to adjust, or to back out by calling it off. There was no hurry or frenzy to his touch, just the hope of easing his omega’s pain any way possible.

“We’ve already passed first base Levi, no use for the foreplay. You can speed up, you know, it’s not like I’m some school girl you need to win over first.” the omega huffed into his ear.

“Bossy, aren’t you.” Levi laughed, fastening the pace of his hand and twisting it every now and again, before engulfing the tip, teasing his slit just the way Eren liked, before starting all over again, with long pulls of his hand, all the way from the base to the tip and back, making the material of Eren’s gown crinkle with the motion. Eren sighed, body slowly molding into Levi’s hold, before tensing back up again with a grimace.

“Fucking shit!” Eren gasped. Levi looked from Eren over to the CTG, seeing his contraction line starting to rise again, confirming his suspicion. Eren put the mouthpiece back in his mouth with a shaking hand, taking a deep breath.

“Do you want me to stop, mon cher?” Levi asked tentatively, letting his fist ease up, ready to take it away. Eren let out a loud moan, as he screwed his face up, growling: “Don’t you fucking dare now!” under his breath, before he continued to suck down the gas and air greedily.

“Just try to let go.” Levi murmured, tightening his hand back up again to continue, moving his other hand cradling Eren closer, to rub at his lower back. The alpha could feel Eren leaking, could smell it even, the soft note of precome gathering at Eren’s tip, just to be gathered up by Levi’s hand and be rubbed into the tight skin of his omega’s hard on, over and over again. Eren muttered something inaudible around the mouthpiece, as he started to push his hips up and into Levi’s hand. But it was not hard to guess, what Eren was asking for, so Levi complied easily enough and started stroking him harder. He had an eye  fixed on the CTG, following the line showing Eren's contractions still rising slightly and knew, that Eren's contraction was close to it's peak.

“It’s almost over.” he murmured soothingly, pressing a kiss to Eren’s temple, tasting the salty tinge of his sweat on his lips, as he continued to bring his omega off. He reached over and grabbed a few tissues from the side, as he felt Eren leaking harder, his erection tensing slightly more, he could feel it pulsing in his hand on every single stroke, a tell tale sign that Eren was close. Levi nipped at Eren’s claiming mark lightly, knowing it would give him the final push over the edge. Eren let a loud moan around the mouthpiece, throwing his head back on Levi’s shoulder, as he shot hard all over his alpha’s hand.

“Holy shit!” Levi exclaimed in awe, trying to catch it all with the tissues balled up in his hand and there was a lot. It was like major load of cum, as if Eren had stored some extra, in case of running dry and it all decided to come out just at that moment - no pun intended.

Eren was panting, his head lolling on Levi’s shoulder, he could feel his omega’s body going lax, as he slumped back against his alpha’s chest.

“How are you feeling, mon cher? Everything alright?” Levi asked after a moment of silence, giving Eren time to come back to himself, just in case, but dreading a positive answer nevertheless, because he could never ever live with himself, if Eren didn’t want it to happen. Eren nodded a little, his head bobbing on Levi’s shoulder with the motion, before one of the biggest dimpled smiles, took over his omega’s face.

“That was better, than the gas and air.” Eren whispered, exhaustion evident in his voice, making it a shade deeper as usual and slightly scratchy, but that was probably a side effect of the gas and air. Levi couldn’t help himself, as he chuckled, rolling his eyes just for good measure.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, and my hand as well, while we are at it, eh?” Levi joked, looking  down at his hands covered in sticky jizz.

Levi left Eren for a second, to get rid of the soiled tissues and trashed them in the yellow bin, before making a shortcut for the bathroom to rinse his hands and get some wet paper towels to clean Eren up with, or at least that part that he hadn’t been able to catch with the tissues.

“LEVI!!!” Eren shouted, just as his alpha had went to get rid of the paper towels.

“It’s okay, I’m here!” Levi soothed, drying his hands and rushed back out and to Eren’s side.

“Fuck! It hurts! Just fucking fuck you LEVI!” Eren sobbed, sucking deeply at the mouthpiece.

“Seems like it most definitely speeded things up.” Levi hedged, settling back onto the bed and rubbing Eren’s back in apology.

“It really really… - FUCK! - hurts.” Eren howled.

“You’re doing good, so good, mon cher. Just breathe through it.” Levi murmured, kissing Eren’s temple over and over again and carding his fingers through the thick chestnut mop of hair on  his omega’s head. He looked over at the machine and saw the line showing Eren's contraction spiking higher than ever before.

“Just listen to my voice, try and relax and it'll be gone soon. You’ve got this, mon cher. You can do it. So good. Such a good omega. I’m so proud of you for doing this.” Levi softly muttered in French, while Eren’s moans of discomfort got louder.

“That's it, it will fade. I promise. It’s almost over. You’re doing good, mon cher. Let go, or I will need to wank you off again.” the alpha threatened jokingly. Eren chuckled at that, before dragging another deep breath of gas and air from the mouthpiece, he could feel the dizziness increasing and even though he didn’t want to, he let go, knowing he shouldn’t overdo it. Krista’s warning had been clear, but fuck it, it hurt so fucking bad, like someone tried to split him in half and tear his hole 6 feet deeper.

“I can’t, I can’t fucking do this Levi!” Eren cried into his alpha’s neck desperately. He wanted it to stop. He wanted that fucking C-section, like right the fuck NOW, no better like YESTERDAY! Couldn’t they just pull it right out of him and make it end?

“Do you want me to buzz for your midwife?” Levi offered, at loss of what to do, to help Eren calm down. Eren nodded shortly, digging his fingers into Levi’s arm to have something to hold onto, as the contraction vanished slowly, way more slowly than the others before had. Without preamble the alpha hit the red button on the wall, to get Krista.

“How can I help? What’s wrong?” the blonde beta asked, as she rushed into the room and straight over to the machine, just a few moments after Levi had hit the button.

“The contractions are coming more closely and I guess they're getting stronger, judging by the swearing. But Eren is in so much pain.” Levi told her, a desperate edge coloring his own voice. The alpha was clearly showing signs of exhaustion, but Krista was no stranger to that. Levi had to hold up, for Eren’s sake. The beta smiled at him compassionately.

“Yeah I noticed the contractions had sped up. It might be a good idea to check you over again Eren, see what we can do, before we call for Dr. Ral as a last resort. Do you feel the need to push?” she said, already pulling on a pair of gloves.

“Not fucking again! Nooo!!!! Pushing? I feel like satan is crawling out of my ass bitch!” Eren whined, panting through the pain.

“Yeah, I’m afraid we need to. I'm going to have to be quick, to get it done in-between contractions.” Krista stated, making a motion with her hand, for Eren to get back on his knees again. Levi shuffled to the side to give them both room, as Krista pulled back the covers, frowning a little for a second, before chucking a part of the covers back again, but not without Levi noticing.

“If you squat down again, like last time, there's a good chance I can do it, before the next one arrives.” Krista instructed gently, pushing the button on the wall again, to notify the desk that she needed Dr. Ral in here. Eren settled back down onto his knees again, hand clutching tightly at Levi’s slightly bigger one.

“Okay, let’s go. Try to relax.” Krista reminded the omega patiently, as she quickly slipped her fingers in under Levi’s strict gaze, before pulling them back out again.

“Well?” the alpha demanded, one eyebrow raised as if to say: ‘Don’t you dare bullshit me, I know something is wrong bitch!’  before Eren started moaning again, whimpering softly. His fingers were almost bruising Levi’s hand, where he was holding onto his omega. Krista quickly pulled her gloves off and trashed them in the yellow bin, sighing as she returned to Eren’s bed.

“We definitely have some progress you’ve reached 10 centimetres which means fully dilated, but we also have some complications. But don’t worry, Dr. Ral is already notified.” Krista explained.

“You’re doing amazing, Eren. Our kid is on his way, it won’t take much longer.” Levi tried to comfort his sobbing omega, as he patted Eren’s hair, leaving out the bit about complications, since Eren was too out of it, to have heard Krista saying it.

“You fucking said that four fucking hours ago. Fucking horse shit fucking call!” Eren yelled, tears dripping onto his pillow.

“This time we mean it, you’re dilated enough to start the real work of pushing. And we better hurry up...” Krista said calmly, muttering the last part under her breath, so only Levi picked up on it.

“I hate you! I fucking hate you Levi fucking Ackerman!” Eren shouted, panting for breath with his eyes screwed up tight, before the next colorful profanities left his mouth, whenever he had enough room to breathe.  

“Don't you… Don’t you ever fucking touch me again. EVER! You’re fucking dick is never… never getting anywhere fucking near me, ever fucking again!” Eren wailed.

“You’re the fucking worst! I fucking hate you so much! So fucking much for putting me through this shit!” he shouted.

 

“He doesn't mean it, trust me I've heard worse. But he’s very high on the list of creative impressions.” Krista laughed, giving Levi a sympathetic look.

“Just breathe, mon cher. You can do this.” Levi stuttered overwhelmed and still slightly shocked.

“What the fucking fuck do you think I'm fucking doing?” Eren screeched once more, before putting the mouthpiece back into his mouth and sucking at it greedily, in the hope to at least get the edge off a bit. Maybe he should have asked for that epidural, fuck recovery time, but now it was too late to change the game plan. He was so fucked.


	26. making a family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay here we go big bang Part 3  
> The name was chosen with the help of my best friend and cosplay Eren

 

“What sweet sounds, things are moving along in here obviously.” Dr. Ral laughed lightly, as she walked in, making Levi blush in embarrassment. Yeah Eren was not behaving according to protocol and it actually made Levi feel guilty, but he couldn’t help it. His omega was in pain and therefore Levi let him swear as much as Eren wanted to.

Krista was scribbling in Eren’s file, as Dr. Ral joined her, reading over the notes, the midwife was taking.

“He’s 10 centimetres dilated, the contractions are about 2 minutes apart lasting for about 90 seconds at the moment.” Krista reported, pointing out a note on the file, that made Dr. Ral nod earnestly. It read: _ ‘Green excess water passed, possible fetal distress.’ _

“I see. Okay, thank you Krista. We better hurry up and get sorted then, ready for this little one to arrive.” Dr. Ral affirmed, observing Eren, who was panting into Levi’s neck, struggling through another contraction.

“On it.” Krista answered, rushing out of the room.

“It’s nearly gone. You’ve got this. Doing such a good job, having our kid.” Levi murmured gently in French, side eyeing Dr. Ral with an eyebrow raised in question - there had to be a good reason to make them all rush around all of a sudden, something had to be wrong and Levi wanted to know how bad it was actually going to be. The doctor bit her lip, turning Eren’s file around to let Levi get a glimpse, her finger pointing out the note Krista had shown her, but she was making sure, Eren wouldn’t notice, he was too busy swearing and sobbing anyway. Levi’s eyes scanned the note and he nodded at her seriously. He was sure they would do the best in their ability to help both of them, and if their kid was in any danger or distress, than they better hurried faster. He didn’t want to lose Eren or his kid.

“I'm going to be sick.” Eren declared sniffing, covering his mouth quickly with his hand and looking at Levi through teary eyes.

“Shit!” Levi blurted, pulling back slightly and quickly looking around.

“Hang on!” Petra enunciated, rushing over to one of the cupboards, pulling out a sick bowl with quick hands and passing it over to Levi. The alpha grabbed it and held it out under Eren's chin just in time, as his omega vomited hard into it and kept heaving afterwards.

“Here you go. It’s okay.” Levi murmured, holding onto his omega, who started sobbing.

“We are set.” Krista smiled, holding the door open, as she wheeled in something that looked like a baby crib, but with a lot more important looking machines attached to it, than Levi was comfortable with, even though he know, they just wanted to be prepared for the worst case scenario. Considering the way how things had turned out in their delivery room recently, his feeling was, it was getting close to expect exactly that to happen - the worst case.

“Are you feeling better?” Dr. Ral asked Eren, waiting for him to answer. The omega nodded shortly, as he continued to sob heartbreakingly into Levi’s collar.

“I'm scared,” he whispered, Levi hugged him a little closer as best as he could, without taking Eren’s room to move around away from him, smiling gently at his omega.

“Let me take that.” Krista offered quietly, as she took the sick bowl out of the alpha’s hand, exchanging it for a new one, just in case.

“Thank you Krista.” Levi answered politely, he didn’t envy the midwife at that moment at all. It must suck to deal with people's vomit on the regular, he could never do something like that, which in turn made him grateful for nurses like Krista.

“Eren I'm just going to check you over again quickly.” Dr. Ral said gently. Eren whined in protest against his alpha’s shoulder at that.

“I know it's annoying, but I'll make it quick, I promise. We just need to see if you’re ready.” she tried to placate him.

Levi watched Krista disposing of the sick bowl

“Just in case. the smell makes it worse sometimes.” the beta winked. Levi nodded at her in understanding, as Eren started moaning again. He had gotten back on his knees for Dr. Ral and was holding onto his alpha with an almost painful grip, as Dr. Ral checked him over.

“Just relax. She will be done soon.” Levi crooned, pressing a soft kiss to Eren’s temple.

“Looks like we're ready. Your kid is in the right position and you’re dilated enough. Now we just need to get this show on the road.” Dr. Ral smiled encouragingly.

“How do you want him?” Krista asked, assisting her.

“Standing might be the best try for now. I know, Eren might prefer to be sitting, but given the circumstances, that might take too long and block up the way, rather than help things along.” Dr. Ral explained.

“Alright, I’ll get the mat ready.” Krista murmured, opening one of the many cupboards and Levi watched on, as the beta pulled out a large green mat out of the cupboard, similar to the one he'd put on the bed earlier, just thicker and spread it out over the floor.

“Eren, we need you to stand up. Do you think you can do that for us?” Krista coaxed the omega gently. Eren sobbed and shook his head, hands clinging even tighter to Levi’s arms, refusing to let go.

“You don’t have to do it alone, we will help you.” the beta reassured him.

“You can do this, mon cher. I believe in you. By the time you get to sit back down, you'll be a daddy.” Levi mumbled, trying to motivate Eren to move. “I’ll be with you all the way.” his alpha soothed. Eren let out a small whimper, shaking his head, tears flowing down his pale face.

“Let's do it quick, before the next contraction starts, just shuffle this way.” Krista instructed gently, as she lowered the bar on the side of the bed. Eren  didn’t move, hiding his face in Levi’s arms. His alpha sighed, shuffling forward to the edge of the bed and therefore moving Eren along with him. Krista took hold of Eren's arm, as the omega, tried to lean away from her. Levi moved his thigh a little the way Krista indicated him to do, with a pointed finger, shuffling Eren’s knees closer to the edge of the bed in the process.

“Ow, no! No! No! FUCK THIS!” Eren protested, feeling his balance tip, digging his hands deeper into Levi’s biceps, making his alpha hiss at the pain.

“It’s okay. You can do this, mon cher. Nothing bad is going to happen to you.” Levi’s voice rumbled.

“Now lean onto your side and put your feet down.” Krista directed him gently. Eren hesitated, but put his feet down on the floor, while Levi was supporting his waist, still sitting on the bed himself, having Eren stand in between his spread thighs, wavering a little from side to side, as if drunk.

“I don't know, if I can do this, my legs are really shaky.” Eren whispered in protest, voice wavering around the edges and hands not letting go of his alpha.

“We've got you, don’t you worry.” Krista smiled, as Eren slowly tried to shuffle his feet and find his balance.

“See, that’s it. You’re doing good Eren. Now we just need you over there. Just a few steps onto the mat.” Krista instructed gently. Eren took a few shaky steps into the middle of the mat, feeling Levi close at his back, his alpha’s hand never wavering for a second, as he made sure Eren would not stumble and fall flat on his ass.

“That's it. Good job.” Dr. Ral praised, from where she was waiting for them, sitting on the swiveling stool. “Now Levi, I would need you to stand in front of Eren and support him just under his arms and Eren I need you to put your hands on your alpha’s shoulders.”

She watched, as they got into position with Eren leaning heavily onto Levi, panting, sobbing and muttering under his breath, how much he hated everybody in near vacancy, right at this moment.

“Perfect. I will be right next to you Levi, just let me know if you need a break, or if you need a bit of help holding him.” Krista smiled, taking her position.

“I think, I’ve got this for now. Can deal with it, but thank you Krista.” Levi bristled a little, at the implication that he might not be able to sit through the entire procedure, to look after his omega. He would prove them wrong. Yes he was tired as hell, but he could do this. If he couldn’t take away the pain Eren was in, he could at least be fucking there for him, and hold him, and cuddle him, or whatever he needed, for as long as his omega wanted.

“Alright, can you just open your legs a bit wider Eren?” Dr. Ral asked, as she wheeled herself around on the swivel stool, stopping behind Eren, her head level with his lower back.  “You’re doing good, I just need you to bend your knees slightly more and lean forward, so your bum sticks out. I’m sure you can do this.” the doctor encouraged, watching Levi shift his weight to take more of Eren’s, as the omega slowly moved, before quickly stopping and groaning loudly. Eren dropped his head back onto Levi’s shoulder, his balance off center and crying softly into his alpha’s collar,, as the pain raged through his body. Never ever was he having a kid again. This was torture! It was searing hot pain, right through his middle, as if someone would cut him a half and he didn’t want to take one more minute of it. His head was pounding, his sight blurry with tears and he felt shaky all over, could hear the blood rushing in his ears.

“That's great. You’re doing good Eren. So good, so proud of you, mon cher.” Levi mumbled gently,

“Do you feel the need to push yet?” Dr. Ral asked softly. Eren groaned, shrugging his shoulders as best as he could. How should he know, what it felt like to push? He had no idea what she was asking of him, all he felt was increasing pressure on his pelvis and ass.

“I don’t know. It just fucking hurts.” Eren whimpered helplessly.

“It’s okay, Eren. Don’t stress. Does it feel like the kid is putting pressure on your pelvis? Like it would make the pain more bearable, if you would push it out?” Dr. Ral elaborated patiently. Eren nodded at that frantically.

“Alright, that’s good, that’s what we need. You need to listen to me carefully and pant when I say and push when I say. You can do this.” she said.

“I try.” Eren cried out, panting heavily, before going lax for a moment in Levi’s arms, when the pain subsided.

“Good.” Petra glanced over at Krista, who moved the CTG machine, showing Eren's contractions closer to her.

“You’ve got this. I got you, mon cher. Doing so well, so pretty.” Levi whispered, keeping a low stream of comforting french words going, to help his omega keep focus.

“There we go, another contraction is building up, I need you to take a deep breath and push down, as hard as you can.” his doctor instructed, keeping a gentle hand on Eren’s hip for support. Eren nodded shortly, gulping in air.

“Okay Eren, now push!” she said looking back from the machine to Eren. Levi held Eren tightly, as he took a deep breath and screwed his face up as he pushed downwards.

“That's it keep going.” Dr. Ral demanded.

“You're doing great Eren.” Krista offered.

“It does not fucking work!” Eren sobbed breathlessly, feeling the pressure building instead of easing. His entire gut was on fucking fire and the dizziness was getting worse, the longer he kept pushing, his legs were shaking and his hands tingling, where he was holding onto Levi.

“It does, don’t worry. It might not seem like anything's happening, but I can promise you that there is. Every time you push you're pushing your kid out slightly further.” Dr. Ral reminded him.

“Oww!!! it stings, it hurts, make it stop. PLEASE! Make it fucking stop!” Eren screamed on top of his lungs, fingernails scratching at Levi’s shoulders for purchase, who tried to resist the urge to pull Eren in for a hug.

“Hold on a little longer Eren, please. I got you. I know it hurts, but you are doing so good. Such a good omega.” Levi soothed, peppering his omega’s face with little kisses all over again, tasting the salt of his tears on his lips.

“Don’t tense back up Eren, you need to keep pushing. If you tense up, you are blocking your kids way out and make it longer for the both of you to endure. You want this to end, don’t you. So keep going.” Dr. Ral ordered encouragingly, while Krista was breathing with Eren, or at least trying to get the omega to copy her rhythm. Eren’s breathing was out of sync, due to his heavy crying.

“You need to push Eren, we need to move on. Come on. Take a deep breath for me now. Your kid is crowning, he's nearly here.” Dr. Ral ordered sternly, to get Eren to focus.

“I can't do it. I FUCKING CAN’T!” Eren yelled, sobbing hard and trying to catch his breath, at the same time.  “Take me home.” Eren begged in a whisper, out of breath, with Levi’s face swimming in front of him.

“Oh smol titan, I've never doubted for a second that you couldn't do this, I know how strong you are. You’ve got this. I know it hurts, but you're doing something amazing, you're making us a family.” Levi murmured gently, resting his forehead against Eren's, softly kissing his omega’s cheek. “Just focus for now, huh. We'll go home soon, but together with our beautiful son. You just need to hang in there for a little bit longer, you can do this for me, I promise, mon cher.” he finished. Eren tried to nod, as he sobbed, but it made his head swim dangerously.

“Eren, I think just one more push and he'll be half way here.” Dr. Ral said soothingly, watching the monitor.

“Okay.” Eren sniffled.

“Ready, now push as hard as you can.” she demanded, as Eren took a deep breath and grimaced, as he began pushing down hard.

“That's it, just keep pushing, he's coming. Just a little more, give it your all Eren.” Dr. Ral smiled. Eren felt like he was pushing his intestines out along with his kid, the longer she asked him to keep going. The burning sensation of his midsection not helping him to focus. He really just wanted to hide away from the pain and discomfort, as he kept pushing hard, before shouting loudly.

“Great job, you can stop now. Stop pushing and just pant for me.” his doctor advised, waiting for Eren to comply, who struggled for air, but started panting.

“One more and your kids head will be out. That's the hardest part over with then.” Dr. Ral explained.

“You're doing really well Eren, it’s almost done.” his midwife praised him, but Eren had a hard time hearing Krista, over the rushing blood in his ears. His hands were tingling and his feet too, his lips were starting to feel numb and his head just pounded blindingly, as Dr. Ral ordered him to push again. He tried, he really tried, but it almost felt like he couldn’t really feel himself anymore, like he was looking down at himself doing it.

“There he comes. The head is out. Good job Eren.” Petra cheered.

“Just breathe deeply for now.” Krista instructed him, having taken to support Eren’s side, since he was swaying in Levi’s arms. Eren tried, but there was not enough air for him to force down and his knees buckled under his weight, as he went lax and dropped to his knees without warning, head swimming and sounds far away.

“Oh shit!” Levi whispered, barely having enough time to catch Eren, as he slumped forward dead weight and Levi went down with him, holding him up, as best as he could. Fear knotting his insides, as he looked helplessly at Dr. Ral for help. Who was motioning for Krista to get the oxygen supply.

“It’s okay. It’s going to be okay. Don’t worry Levi, just hold him upright for now please. Otherwise we might injure your kid.” Dr. Ral explained, her hands supporting their kid’s head, as Krista placed the oxygen mask over Eren’s face. Slapping his cheeks a few times for good measure and calling Eren’s name out loud. It felt like forever, but wasn’t more than a few seconds, before Eren moaned into Levi’s shoulder, eyelids flickering.

“There you are. Back with us again. You scared us a little, Eren.” Krista  smiled at him. Eren squeezed his eyes shut, as his senses turned back on and he felt the pain of the contraction, murdering his insides.

“How are you feeling Eren? We need you to hold on a little longer.” Dr. Ral asked.

“Dizzy. Hurts.” Eren slurred, a small sob escaping his lips.

“It’s okay, we can give you some more oxygen in the meanwhile. Just try to take deep breaths. We’re almost done. You can stay sitting like this, if it’s more comfortable for now, just lean a little more forward.” she instructed for Levi to make a little room, which he did, taking most of Eren’s weight with him.

“The head of your kid is already out, guess that got you a little shocked and made your blood pressure crash for a second. If you give me your hand you can feel his head, if you want to.” Dr. Ral offered with a smile. Eren tried to look over his shoulder, as he took one still trembling hand off Levi’s shoulder and reached around.

“There it is, it’s almost smooth sailing from now on.” she told him, as she took Eren’s hand and placed it on his kid’s head. Eren gasped and quickly moved his hand away in wonder. He couldn’t really process the feeling, but there also wasn’t much time to think about it, with the next wave of pain already building up.

“Do you want a feel as well?” Krista smiled at Levi, who gave a quick nod, as  the beta moved next to him, to take and support more of Eren’s weight for the moment it took Levi, to get his first touch of his kid. He moved round to the side of his omega, slowly reaching out his hand and touching the head of his kid. It was a pretty wet first impression, but Levi didn’t even flinch.

“I can't believe he's almost here.” the alpha murmured quietly, awe filling his voice, as he smiled at the doctor and glanced back down for a second.

“The rest of him won’t take too long either from now on.” Dr. Ral chuckled, while Levi quickly moved his hand away, and moved back round to support Eren.

“I saw him Eren, our son is so beautiful. You’re the best omega. My best omega.” Levi mumbled lovingly, as his eyes began to water. He was so proud of him, so proud, it felt like his heart was about to burst out of his chest, with how proud he was, that Eren had done this for him. That they had created this tiny little new life.

“You need to pant for me once more Eren and then it'll all be over.” Dr. Ral demanded gently. Eren panted as instructed, feeling a slight odd stretching movement, that did not really hurt as much, as it had before.

“There you go, one shoulder out. Just one more deep breath and you’ve got this.” she said. Eren let out a deep breath, feeling a little twist as Dr. Ral gently pulled his kid all the rest of the way out, scanning him over quickly.

“He's definitely a boy.” Dr. Ral said, handing the kid over into Krista’s outstretched, waiting hands, covered in a towel.

Levi kissed Eren deeply, all his gratitude and love filling the touch of their lips, both of them looking at each other with watery eyes.

“Is everything alright with him? I can't hear him.” Eren asked, his voice raw and shaking from all the crying, as he tried to look over his shoulder.

Levi leaned forward slightly, in an attempt to glance around Eren, but his gaze was blocked. by Krista’s pink scrubs clad ass standing in the way.

“He's fine, you just need to cut the cord Levi and you can see it for yourself.” Petra laughed lightly. Levi didn’t want to let go of Eren, but his omega just nodded in Dr. Ral’s direction, urging Levi to go and do as she said. They looked at each other worriedly for a second, both waiting for the cry of their newborn kid, before Levi moved around and saw his kid for the first time. Tears watering his eyes in an instant, as pride exploded in his chest, by cutting the cord.

“Here we go, your son.” Krista smiled, swaddling the towel around the tiny naked body and bending down to take him. She moved around to show him to Eren smiling brightly. Eren gasped, looking at the tiny little human in Krista’s arms, just looking around suspiciously.

“He's beautiful.” Eren murmured softly, before bursting into tears again, shakingly supporting his weight on his trembling forearms.

“Hello beautiful.” Levi crooned in French, reaching out to touch his son.

“Why isn't he crying?” Eren sobbed, fear still closing up his insides. Something had to be wrong, if he wasn’t screaming.

“Not all baby's do.” Krista assured him quickly.

“He's so tiny, such a tiny little superhero.” Eren sniffled, with tears running down his face.

“I'm just going to take him over there to the table, to check his stats and then you can have him back.” the beta smiled, walking over to the examination table.

“Thank you Krista.” Levi smiled turning his attention back to Eren and moving over to cradle him in his lap. Eren smiled at Levi and hugged him tightly around the middle.

“You did it, you’re amazing, mon cher. My best omega. I love you so much.” Levi whispered full of love.

“I'll just get the paediatrician, so he can check the baby and then we can take care of the rest to be delivered.” Dr. Ral explained. She stood up and walked over to the telephone, placing a quick call to the reception.

Eren flinched and curled back up in Levi’s lap, feeling another pain rip through him, but this time it felt different than the other ones before. He had no idea what was going on, his kid was already here. Levi leaned over, concern contracting his face, as he looked down Eren’s cramping body, hand caressing his back. Eren could feel something run down his legs and his mind turning fuzzy and he felt helpless, like he was drowning in that big sharp pain, as he gasped for air. Wanting to ask Levi for help, to do something.

“Fuck!” Levi cursed, eyes drawn to the stream of blood pooling around his omega’s feet.

“Eren! EREN! Oh my god!” Levi panicked, looking down at his unresponsive omega, before quickly looking over to Krista and Dr. Ral, who dropped the phone in her hands.

“Press the button.” Petra shouted into Krista’s direction, rushing to Levi’s side. The CNM nurse quickly leaned over and pressed the alarm button on the wall a few times in quick succession, before taking care of the infant again. She wanted to go over and help, like she was supposed to do, but she couldn’t leave the little kid out of sight unsupervised.

“Eren, mon cher.” Levi pleaded, tears wetting his own face, as he cradled his omega’s head in his lap helplessly, watching Dr. Ral, who moved Eren onto his back on the floor, his body stretched out as best as possible on the matt. He watched as two other doctors rushed into the room to assist Dr. Ral.

“Jesus fucking Christ!” one of the doctors cursed upon entering the scene, while the other rushed over to Krista and the kid. Levi couldn’t keep up with all the white coats swirling around his peripheral vision all of a sudden. He was scared. He couldn’t lose Eren. Not now, not ever. Eren was his, he was their kid’s daddy.

Levi looked over and saw the other doctor taking care of his kid and placing it into the crib shortly after, while Krista rushed back over to them, taking Levi’s place, with a little coaxing for the alpha to let go, so they could take care of his omega properly.

“Listen to me carefully Levi, it looks like the placenta is causing complications, it’s what's most likely causing the bleeding.” Dr. Ral explained, while the 3 of them lifted, Eren from the floor onto his bed. “We will need to intervene quickly, or otherwise Eren will lose too much blood.” Petra told him, before they rushed his omega out of the room and back over to the operating room. Eren was drifting in and out of consciousness upon arrival.

“I feel dizzy.” he mumbled at some point, white as a sheet, before they put him under.

“We need to get this placenta out, as quick as possible.” Dr. Ral said, changing into scrubs along with the others, as the nurses in the operating room put Eren under and hooked him up with IV’s and a blood transfusion.

Krista was left behind in the delivery room, to explain to Levi what was most likely happening in the operating room right now and to help him cope. Levi was holding his kid protectively, while fear coursed through his system, putting him on high alert. He refused to let go of his kid, it was the last link to Eren he had. Eren who could be dying right now for all he knew.

“It’ll be okay Levi. They are going to give Eren an injection to help his placenta  separate completely. Before taking care of the bleeding altogether. You shouldn't be so scared. They are all well trained and skilled to deal with such a situation. It’s not the first time, something like this happens. We have enough blood stored in this hospital and they know how to take care of things. They will put Eren under, so he won’t be able to feel anything.”

“Okay.” Levi murmured, distressed. ‘Just hold on my love’ the alpha thought worriedly.

“Once it’s delivered, they will get it checked over, that’s how it goes.” Krista explained soothingly. Half an hour later his son started to cry for the first time, just as they brought Eren back in, as if he had waited for his dad to come back. Eren was drowsy from the anesthetics, but aware enough to hear his kid’s desperate cries. His fingers twitched, he felt uncomfortable, lying on the large pad that pressed up against his ass. Levi settled on the chair next to Eren’s bed immediately, careful to not disturb all the IV and fluid bags hooked up to his omega, one hand closing protectively around his omega’s wrist while the other cradled their kid safely to his chest.

“Don't even think about leaving me. I need you and our son needs you.” he whispered into Eren's ear, kissing his temple. As if on cue their kid started crying again.

“See, he needs you.” Levi murmured.

Eren perked up slightly and looked over Levi’s shoulder at his kid. He felt the doctor move his pad and replace it with a different one.

“He gave us quite a scare. We could deliver everything completely. A vessel was ruptured from the contractions and there was some tearing to take care of, which caused the massive bleeding, but we fixed that too. The most of the bleeding stopped and the rest is pretty normal, but should decrease in the next days, until it stops altogether.” She explained to Levi with a relieved look on her face. “I think, we are safe for now.” she said, moving the pad and looking at it, before replacing it with a clean one.

“Thank god.” Levi sighed, holding onto Eren and his kid tightly.

“Why don't you go and get cleaned up, while I clean up this little one some more and your omega too.” Krista suggested. Levi didn’t really like the suggestion, but Krista was right, he still had Eren’s blood all over himself and looked like he came fresh off the set of the walking dead.

“I need to get him tagged still and he needs his first bath. Needs to be all pretty for his dad and daddy to name him.” Krista smiled.

“You’re right,” Levi sighed, reluctantly handing his son over to the midwife.

“There's some boxers in the cupboard in the bathroom. They're especially padded and disposable and there should be a clean gown in there, it would be awesome, if you could bring them over, before taking a shower.” Krista told him.

“No problem.” Levi mumbled, kissing Eren one last time, before he grabbed some clean clothes from their duffle and took a quick shower himself, leaving the required items out for Krista.

He had just finished rubbing his hair dry and gotten his boxers on, when Krista called out for him again. Levi quickly finished dressing himself and entered the room again, seeing Eren drowsy, but clean in bed, in a fresh gown, obviously having received a gentle wash down from Krista, and his son on the changing table, kicking up his feet happily.

“Sorry, have you got anything you'd like your son to be dressed in?” Krista asked gently, waiting for Levi to pick out the little Hawks onesie they took with them.

“Thank you.” Krista smiled, dressing the little one with practiced hands.

Eren seemed content and smiled, just swearing a little, whenever he tried to turn on his backside, which was understandable. He picked at his gown unhappily, as Levi settled on the chair next to him.

“What’s wrong, mon cher.” Levi inquired.

“Look at the state of me! I look horrible.” Eren sighed, looking down at his stomach.

“It won't stay like that. I don't care, you’re beautiful to me regardless. You've just done the most amazing thing I've ever seen.” Levi smiled, gently stroking Eren's now saggy, but still protruding belly. Eren kept fidgeting, as he observed Krista placing their son into his crib.

“There's a cushion in that cupboard, if you put it behind your lower back, it'll help with the uncomfortableness.” the little blonde mentioned, pointing over to a cupboard on the wall. Levi got it and placed it behind his omega’s back.

“Better?” He asked, as Eren sat back against it.

“Yeah, shit that’s so much better.” Eren sighed with a smile.

“Are you ready for your son?” Krista asked, as she picked the baby up. Both of them looked over and smiled.

“I think that's a definite yes.” the beta smiled back, walking over to the bed and stopping next to it.

“Here you go.” she said gently, holding the kid out to Eren.

“Levi goes first.” Eren insisted.

“Are you sure?” His alpha asked. Eren smiled and nodded.

“There you go dad.” Krista laughed, as she settled the little guy into Levi’s arms.

“Wow, tiny little superhero.” Levi repeated Eren’s earlier words, with a soft smile. He had held the baby boy before, but Eren didn’t know that, since he had been in surgery at that time. But if Eren wanted him, to hold the baby first, he would hold the baby first, as simple as that.

“He weighs in at 3.75 pounds and measures 16.88 inches. So he's a little bit on the small side, but other then that, there's absolutely nothing wrong with him.”  Krista said.

“I can barely believe he's finally here.” Levi cooed proudly. He looked at Eren and saw him smiling at them.

“Now it’s your turn daddy.” the alpha murmured. Eren looked at him slightly worried.

“No worries, you’ve got this. You won't drop him.” Levi assured him, reaching over and settling their kid into Eren's arms.

“So beautiful. It's crazy to think that he was inside of me, being such a pain in my ass, but so beautiful.” Eren whispered chuckling, holding him tightly, as he stroked his rosy cheek, looking at his alpha happily even though still a little out of it.

“You did so amazingly well, you’re the best omega, I love you so much, mon cher.” Levi mumbled, kissing Eren softly, but both of them pulling apart, as their son gave a small cry.

“What's wrong sweety?” Eren wondered out aloud, gently stroking his cheek.

“I think he might be hungry, he waited long enough. He already has the patience of a saint.” Levi laughed, as the kid moved his mouth towards Eren's chest.

“Someone's not happy, do you want to try feeding him?” Krista asked, as she stood next to the bed.

“I’ll go get him a bottle fixed, because whatever you stored during your pregnancy will only make him crave more, but you should try nevertheless, it helps with the bonding.” Krista said, before disappearing quickly to fix the formula.

“Do you want me to hold him, while you get yourself ready?” his alpha asked.

“Thank you.” Eren murmured, struggling with the material of his gown, to get it past his shoulders.

“It's easier, if you just undo your gown at the back and slip your arms out.” Levi grinned, trying to be helpful as best as he could, while gently cradling their crying son.

Eren moved his son closer to his chest, after Levi passed him over, until he was facing his nipple and brought him close against him, watching as he kept moving his head around searchingly, struggling to find his nipple before crying loudly.

“I think he needs a hand.” Levi laughed. Eren reached down and guided the kid's head into the right position, watching on fascinated, as he quickly latched on and began sucking hard.

“God, that’s fucking weird and it kind of hurts.” Eren gasped laughing lightly, watching his son spit out his nipple again, before moving him over to the other side, and waiting for Krista to appear with the bottle, before they would get an earful, because their son was still hungry. At least he had a good appetite, so much for that. However Eren was immediately smitten with his son and mesmerized by him.

Krista returned just in time and their son was happily burping at the end of his meal, eyes already dropping back to sleep.

Krista observed them fondly, as she cleaned up the room. Levi and Eren were staring at their son in awe, and at each other and she couldn’t resist to say: “Shorty kiss your man!” to get them to stop for a second and show each other how much they meant to one another.

Elliot Kenny Ackerman was born on Friday the 19th June 2008 at 3:45 p.m. in Chicago, IL, weighing in at 3.75 pounds and measuring 16.88 inches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is only one more chapter left and I will try to post before I go into surgery so it might be around wednesday, thursday.


	27. bonding - Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooops I broke the wordcount again, past 150k. it's a bit of an open end should I ever decide to come back to this verse. And I do understand, if people don't like it. It was about time to say goodbye for now and indulge in new adventures. Thank you to everyone along the way. All your comments, bookmarks, kudos, shares and requests mean so much to me. Thanks to my support network, who always listened to me whine about editing this, and most of all: Thanks to Patrick Timothy Kane II and Jonathan Bryan Toews who were the original characters of this story, for being amazing hockey players. Thanks to Isayama for creating AOT and getting us all hooked. Thanks to everybody for reading and for sticking with me, for your unwavering patience. It was a long road to come, but now we've reached the horizon.

Kuchel and Kenny visited them in the evening, marveling at their grandson and taking a bunch of pictures of all of them. Elliot was a quiet kid, not crying much, except for when he was hungry, or needed his nappy changed and endured being handed over a thousand times, everybody was careful to not disturb the machines attached to his little body. He grasped at Kenny’s finger happily, gurgling at his granddad, before quickly falling back asleep in his special crib.

“He's so tiny.” Kuchel worried.

“He’s fine maman. Dr. Ral said it’s normal with the given circumstances and that he was born this early.” Levi assured her.

“He looks exactly like Levi did, when he was born.” Kenny whispered.

“Apart from the eyes and the unruly hair.” Kuchel smiled proudly.

“He's got his daddy’s beautiful teal green eyes.” Levi offered, hugging Eren tightly. He was so proud of his omega.

“But he has your onyx hair, even if it is unruly as your mother called it.” Kenny pointed out in a laugh.

Elliot hardly fussed at all and Dr. Ral had set Eren ready to go the next day to recover at home in peace, if no complications presented over night, which just made it that little bit bittersweet for the both of them. Because it would mean leaving Elliot behind for a few weeks, until the doctors deemed him strong enough to be at home with Eren. Of course it was out of question, that Eren could go visit him each day in the nursery, but he rather would have stayed, until they both were ready to go home together with Levi.

Their son, despite being small was a true fighter and got through the night without any medical complications. Elliot woke up a few times during the night hungry, but feel asleep fairly shortly after having his needs meet, so neither Eren nor Levi felt exhausted by being woken up. 

Each time his cries woke them up, just made them stare in awe at the wonder that was their son, while Eren held him close, feeding him. 

Dr. Ral had arranged for a little box full of colorful stickers, that held the remains of his twin brother, or rather Eren’s placenta they detached during the surgery, as a symbol for the parents to be able to grief. So they could say goodbye to him properly - which they did and even though they cried, as they buried their little star child, they still were aware, that god had left them  Elliot, who made them smile every day. 

 

But the world outside did catch up quick enough and there was press to field, as Eren got discharged, Levi supporting him and making a beeline to their car, his father Kenny had pulled up, as close as possible to the entrance.

Eren felt empty without Elliot at his side and longed to just stay in the hospital overnight, holding his perfect little boy close. He was still exhausted and hurting from giving birth, but the bleeding had mostly slowed and was nothing he couldn’t manage by himself Dr. Ral had concluded at her latest check. It was supposed to be gone within the next 4 weeks, like any typical post pregnancy bleeding, after that Eren was free to get back on his suppressants. He was not allowed to have sex for the next 3 months, but that was the least of his concerns at the moment. Like he would let Levi touch him ever again, no thanks, not without protection.

He and Levi had no idea, why the press was closing in on them. There must have been some news to write home about again, without them taking notice. Shadis would probably tell them about it soon enough, even if Eren just wanted to pretend he suddenly turned deaf to all of it.

Kuchel had suggested to stay with him, until Elliot got discharged and have an eye on him, just in case postnatal depression would snuck upon him, from being away from Elliot, but Levi politely declined. They might need his mother soon enough. For now she and Kenny returned home to his sister Mikasa, who was in university and couldn’t come to see her nephew yet, but loved being an aunt regardless. 

They still had time to bond with their kid, while it was in the hospital, whenever Eren managed to go. Skin on skin contact, was the most amazing thing for him, just leaning back, with small Elliot sleeping on his chest, after being feed, before he had to put him back into his crib, so he wouldn’t get too cold. Their little snuggling hours, was all that kept Eren going in the next weeks, while Shadis became a rather often guest at their house, talking with Levi, sometimes long into the night. They didn’t make him sign anything again, but he was sure Levi and Shadis and his legal team were doing everything in their power to clear up the case. 

He never asked how things were going for them, feeling way too exhausted. He didn’t want to know anything about the shitshow his parents were throwing, he kept away from social media, didn’t read his own press for the first time in like forever and rather waited for Jean or Armin or even Marco to stop by, to accompany him to see Elliot, for when Levi couldn’t join him.

His alpha still made time to see their kid as well, but the court proceedings kept him up most of the nights, leaving purple bruised shadows under his beautiful gunmetal eyes.

Before long, the 12 endless weeks had passed and Eren and Levi had a restless night, knowing they could pick up their child from the hospital nursery the very next Tuesday morning. 

 

The following day they detached all the machines from a squirming Elliot, who seemed happy to not be under permanent investigation anymore. He was eating well, sleeping enough and very active, when awake - crying for a long while, when Eren had to leave. He was just small, but hey not even Eren reached the 5’11 in his own stats. 

There had been some murmurs, that his size could be an indicator for him turning into an omega, later in life, but in this regard research was still treading water, with no real results to show. It didn’t matter to Levi and Eren, as long as their kid was healthy and happy. They would love him, no matter how he presented.

Levi and Eren were just happy to be able to take their kid home with them, finally, after 3 long months of regular visits, but coming home to a quiet house for the night. The pre-season games had started and Eren had chosen to sit out for this season, so he could take care of their son, while Levi would be playing games. 

As they exited the hospital, they came face to face with a bunch of media scumbags, suddenly feeling glad, that they decided to hide Elliot in his car seat, a soft Hawks blanket draped over the front, to keep him safe from photos being taken. 

This was HIS kid.

This was their memory, not the media’s one. These scumbags would get their photos soon enough, should the Hawks schedule a photo OP, to announce their grown family, instead of just sharing the news in a short tweet on twitter.

Eren was glad when they finally got home to their house and he could just be with his family and not give a fuck about the press. 

The more his family had to say and the more they were digging up stuff to throw at him, no matter which way it hit, the more media attention was on him. 

Wherever he went, they were already waiting for him like bloodhounds, forcing him to stay locked up in their house for the most part, when he was not visiting Elliot in the nursery.

Unfortunately it didn’t take much more than 24 hours of being home with Elliot, for Keith Shadis to show up with a grim face and a court order, for Eren to report to Buffalo with Elliot the very next morning. They had managed to postpone everything on the claim, that Eren couldn’t leave, when his kid was still in hospital, but since Elliot got discharged time was literally up. They were out of options, couldn’t stall any longer.

Eren was standing in the nursery clutching his son safely to his chest and he was shaken by sobs at the news. No way in hell, was he going to Buffalo, but he knew, if he refused they would come and collect him with the police. This would lead to media attention and just make more fuss, as if having to go back to the town wasn’t enough of a traumatic event as it was.

“Levi I don’t want to go.” Eren cried hysterically, upset and in tears, which in turn set Elliot off to scream half the house down along with his daddy.

“Oh jesus Eren. Eren please calm down. You’re upsetting Elliot. We will deal with it.” Levi soothed, cradling both of them carefully in his arms, rocking them back and forth.

“I don’t want to go. I don’t want them to have Elliot. Please don’t make me go there.” Eren sobbed. Shadis, was waiting in the doorframe, observing the scene playing out in the nursery, witnessing Eren break down and felt like the worst person ever to drop the news, even more so when Elliot wouldn’t stop crying, because he could feel how upset his daddy was. 

The bonding the 3 of them had managed to do, in the few weeks since Elliot had been born, was incredible and now here he was, the bad guy, ordered to rip a family apart.

Levi was staring accusingly at Keith over Eren’s shaking shoulders, even though he knew, it wasn’t the agent’s fault at all. Their legal team had been postponing and avoiding this for months now. But it was clear as day, his omega nor his kid would go fuckng anywhere - left alone Buffalo, not even over his dead body.

“Tell them to go fuck themselves!” Levi hissed, shielding his son’s ears a little, as the expletive passed his lips. They were swearing enough as it was by accident, he didn’t fancy Elliot’s first word to be ‘Fuck!’.

“I can’t hold them off any longer. We tried Levi, we tired I promise, but Eren going into labor early, turned the tables in their favor. They want a piece of their grandchild and court is most likely to give into them. Even, if it’s just visiting rights for now.” Shadis explained, holding his hands up helplessly, palms showing in a gesture of peace. He didn’t want to get taken down by a 210 pound angry alpha.

“Like they are ever going to lay there poisonous eyes on my son!” Levi roared, his silver grey eyes glowing with the intensity of his anger.

“What should I do Levi? you know as well as I do, that we tried everything, but the papers forwarded to the court are word enough for now, for them to proceed. It’s literally our word against theirs. Our papers up against them.” Shadis asked, at loss of what to say.

“You know what to do!” Kuchel replied gently, but firmly, having entered the room and settling her hand heavily on Keith Shadi’s shoulder. She had come back down to Chicago the night prior, to help Levi and Eren adjust to Elliot being home.

“I can’t…” their agent protested weakly, melting under Kuchel Ackerman’s demanding gaze. She was even more terrifying than her son.

“You can! And you will!” she and Levi said in unison, watching Shadis defeating, his shoulders sagging forward, as he bowed his head in surrender.

“Okay I will arrange everything.” he whispered and turned to Levi’s study to go to work.

 

“I’m sorry it’s coming to this, mon coeur.” Kuchel murmured, hugging Levi and Eren, as well as her grandson, as best as her short arms could reach everyone at the same time.

“What’s happening?” Eren sniffled upset, but curious.

“We are going to settle you and Elliot somewhere else for some time, for at least as long as it takes, to turn this court case to the wind and be all but forgotten about.” Levi explained, voice heavy with emotion.

“You... you are making me and Elliot leave?” Eren asked horrified.

“No, not like that, mon cher.” Levi tried to explain, but was cut short by his omega.

“But you are sending us away!” Eren sobbed.

“Everything is going to be okay Eren. You’re not leaving all by yourself with Elliot. It’s just a little unfortunate timing.” Kuchel interrupted, stroking his wet cheek lovingly, getting a confused look from the omega.

“I’m going to take you and Elliot out to Switzerland. One of my oldest friends has some property there, we can use for the time being. Me and Levi have everything set up, as an emergency solution ever since. I’m going to stay there with you and Kenny and Mikasa will come visit and so will Levi, whenever he can arrange it. In Europe they can’t reach you and Keith Shadis is just booking the flights and getting our documents ready. In Europe you are accepted as Levi’s mate and you belong only to him, and yourself, and no one else. If someone there should start asking uncomfortable noisy questions, we will just shut them up. But the Yeager’s can’t reach you there. Can’t get their hands on either of you and you will be safe. I will take care of you, mon fils. Just like you took care of our beautiful grandson all those months. Everything is going to be okay.” Kuchel murmured, hugging Eren close.

Eren didn’t know what to think about it, he had never been to Switzerland and what about Hockey? He didn’t speak French, or German or whatever it was the people there used. But Kuchel and Levi followed their plan, and within 5 hours, everything they might need, was packed and ready to go on a plane, either as a suitcase or as cargo. Eren found himself sitting in a private area of O’Hare airport on Levi’s lap, surrounded by high level security, disguised in a nondescript hoodie pulled low over his face, waiting to board a plane with his newborn kid and the entire world was upside down. Elliot was less than pleased about the intense journey and was crying and fussing a lot, because of the change in pressure. Left alone saying goodbye to Levi had been tearful, despite Kuchel accompanying him, he was desperate for his alpha. 

But their reasoning was better, than having to go to Buffalo, so they headed out for Switzerland. 

He had wondered, why they didn’t just go up to Manitoba, where Levi was born, but it was obvious, this would be, where they first would come looking for him. Canada wasn’t far enough away.

Hockey did not come back to either of them, the night Eren left for Switzerland, every game of the season got canceled and the NHL went into lockout. A labour dispute between the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) that began at 11:59 pm EDT on September 15, 2008. The owners of the league's franchises, led by NHL commissioner declared a  lockout of the members of the NHLPA after a new agreement could not be reached, before the expiry of the NHL collective bargaining agreement on September 16, 2008.

At issue for the owners were desires to reduce the players' guaranteed 57% share of hockey-related revenues, introduce term limits on contracts, eliminate salary arbitration, and change  free agency rules. The union's initial offers focused on increased  revenue sharing between owners and a fixed  salary cap , that is not linked to league revenues. As the deadline for a work stoppage approached, the union unsuccessfully challenged the league's ability to lock out players of three Canadian teams – the  Edmonton Oilers and  Calgary Flames (in the jurisdiction of  Alberta ), and the  Montreal Canadiens (in the jurisdiction of  Quebec ).

Levi and Olou used that opportunity to press for better rights regarding omega’s in the league, as well as spoke up in favor of bonded pairs with kids, or who were expecting kids. They worked hard to frame a new set of rules for treating these issues, to give omega’s more room to express themselves, every omega in the NHLPA had provided statements of endured neglect or mistreatment regarding their status on the team and what kind of bullshit they had put up with over the years..

By december Eren was so used to Switzerland and Levi skyping, but not visiting as much, since he had to do his job as a representative for the NHLPA, that he contemplated staying and asking Levi to move to Europe permanently. 

But deep in his heart, he was missing the States, was missing Levi, was missing the Zacharias (despite Nanaba and Mike skyping almost every weekend, as well as they had just been to visit him for 2 weeks) , he was missing Hockey, despite occasionally taking Elliot and Kuchel out to watch the regional league play in Biel. He wanted to show his son all the beautiful American things. He wanted Elliot to know what celebrating the 4th of july felt like, let him see the beautiful fireworks and everything that came along with stuff like St. Patrick’s day, Thanksgiving and Halloween. 

He was still scared. It’s been so long, since he had been home and since Levi last said anything about the court case, that Eren was starting to believe, they had all just forgotten about him.

But they had not, when Christmas morning arrived, Faye was waiting on his doorstep, struggling under many presents and her luggage in general,in tow with everybody. Levi was the last to enter their little Switzerland home and he went straight to his omega and his son, enveloping them both in a tight hug, kissing their heads and soaking up the happy tears that started to spill upon his arrival.

But Levi was not alone, with him he had the best present anyone could ever hope for, which was that Eren could return home to Chicago, as soon as he wanted. 

The press coverage was still ridiculous, but with the lockout still ongoing, the beat reporters had other things to worry and write home about, so it should die down soon. Nile Dawk had been expelled from the NHL, after causing havoc in the negotiations for refusing any agreement or settlement, that involved new omega rights. He left a free seat in the Blackhawks Organisation, that soon got filled by no other than Dot Pixis, who decided to return from his retirement, to a more calm position offside. 

The hoax Grisha had tried to pull up, claiming the mating papers had been tampered with, and not originally filed in Chicago and everything going on in between, had already blown over. Since Shadis and Levi refused any comment about the ongoing proceedings and Eren unavailable, the media soon got bored with the Yeager’s thirst for limelight and attention. The  

Faye and Zeke had found a dorm on campus and moved out of home, closer to the Zacharias family and therefore by default closer to Eren. His smaller brother couldn’t await his brother’s return to the states.

The Buffalo court had finally dismissed the Yeagere’s case and signed away all registered rights to Levi, so neither of the Yeager’s could ever fight him over it, ever again and all of that without Eren and Elliot showing up once. they had stated that the allegations made on behalf of Eren Yeager by his parents had been unfounded. They dropped the case at the first jury meeting over lack of evidence provided by the Yeager’s in favor of their accusations.

Of course there had been questions, lots of them, but Levi and Shadis had the better receipts. Dr. Ral had written a very long diagnosis report, of how the stress of the court case actually resulted in all the complications of Eren’s pregnancy and early labor - which well it had some kind of effect, but not as strongly as Dr. Ral had made it sound like. Neither had there been huge suicidal references made by Eren on any account, but they knew how to play the cards for their own damn right and, if the Yeager’s could play wrong, using fake documents, that soon got found out and proven forged, Levi could exaggerate on their behalf as well.

Grisha had even lost his cool in the courtroom admitting to “it being impossible, that his grandchild would turn into such a waste of space, as Eren had.” Therefore showing his true colors of how little respect he had for omega’s, that the idea of Elliot presenting as one later in life, didn’t even register in his head. the Yury was repulsed by his lack of self control and respect, stating that giving the Yeager’s access to their grandchild might damage Elliot’s development, should he present as an omega later in life, as well as open him up to abuse, which could not be tolerated.

Carla had pleaded with the judge to see their side of the story, claiming losing Eren had been the point of no return for Grisha’s disastrous hate towards omega’s, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. Their reasoning was without a doubt fucked up and just further solidified how wrong it would be to hand over custody of Elliot  to them. Faye and Zeke had taken a stand against their parents, despite all sorts of manipulation taken to get them to give wrong testimony and the Zacharias had all but destroyed every last shred of hope Carla might have held onto, to ever get access to Elliot. nanaba hadn’t hold back in beliteling her and openly telling the court about how she had tried to reason the other woman into taking care of her son and letting him see his siblings every once a while to no avail. Mike had nothing nice left to say either, he had a hard time not to lose his shit, because the case itself made him feel sick and enraged to the point that he would have liked to kill Grisha with his bare hands, should he have the chance.

In the end they had lost and Eren and Elliot belonged to Levi and Levi only.

He was his alpha.

He was his mate.

This was their kid!

So finally Levi Ackerman could have his beloved family with him, all 3 of them smiling as their Christmas photo was taken and Elliot showing his first tooth proudly into Kuchel’s camera, all smiles around.

* * *

* * *

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until I publish a new story, I would be happy if you entertain yourself with some of my other SNK works.  
> It migth take me some time to upload a new work, but hey nanowrimo is here so might as well try again - will be happy to read from you guys again. Thanks again for all the love. It saved some of my days, made me smile, made my live brighter, all your enthusiasm was highly appreciated. I hope this epilogue offers some sort of closure to you too.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading, please feel free to leave some words in the comments below, press Kudos, sent me DM on Instagram (link in bio) or whatever. See you next week!!!


End file.
